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A Character Lyrics by Joanna Baillie

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ASK you, 'What charms first chain'd my heart,
'And held me from the world apart,
'Made young ambition's turmoil cease,
'And blest me in the haunts of peace?'
'Twas not th' unfolding of the rose,
That in the cheeks' fresh vermeil glows;
Not health, whose fragrant lip exhales
The breath it stole from morning gales;
Not the smooth front, as spotless fair,
As chaste as Guido's angel air;
Nor the blue eye, that brighter far
And steadier than Eve's herald star,
That passes lonely o'er the deep
When ocean rests in summer sleep:
It was not these that chain'd my heart,
And held me from the world apart:--
'Twas the pure soul that glow'd within,
'Twas innocence that thought no sin,
'Twas fancy, whose keen glance unsated
Beam'd on a world herself created,
And like the sun that pours alone
The beauteous light it looks upon,
Embellish'd every form it view'd,
And its own charm in all pursu'd.
'Twas more than these: 'twas fearless youth,
Whose guardian was celestial truth;
'Twas instinct, that like lightning caught
The slow result of patient thought;
'Twas quick sensation, that convey'd
The answer that the lip delay'd:
'Twas the first thought that spoke the soul,
Nor sought reflection's slow controul:
'Twas force with gentleness combin'd,
Mildness of heart with strength of mind,
And virtue, to itself severe,
That gave to woe--to sin--a tear.
These were the charms that chain'd my heart,
And held me from the world apart.
And yet I knew not at that hour,
The influence of that gentle pow'r:
I deem'd not that the future day
Would still some latent grace display,
Some virtue more and more reveal
That youth and beauty half conceal:
That when affliction's keenest dart
Pierc'd with domestic wound my heart,
That gentle spirit would sustain
My soul its firmness to regain,
Teach me to bear the trial grief,
And in submission find relief.
Such were the charms that chain'd my heart,
That held me from the world apart,
And brighter now than in their bloom,
With Hesper light my Eve illume.
Credits
Joanna Baillie

Joanna Baillie

About “A Character” by Joanna Baillie

Read the complete lyrics to "A Character" by Joanna Baillie. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"A Character" is performed by Joanna Baillie. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Character", explore more songs by Joanna Baillie using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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