Society for the Suppression of Gossip

The title of this painting was taken from the following passage in Anne of Green Gables, the classic by Lucy Maude Montgomery:

But all the field afternoons and recitation Fridays and physical culture contortions paled before a project which Miss Stacy brought forward in November. This was that the scholars of Avonlea school should get up a concert and hold it in the hall on Christmas Night, for the laudable purpose of helping to pay for a schoolhouse flag. The pupils one and all taking graciously to this plan, the preparations for a program were begun at once. And of all the excited performers-elect none was so excited as Anne Shirley, who threw herself into the undertaking heart and soul, hampered as she was by Marilla's disapproval. Marilla thought it all rank foolishness.
"It's just filling your heads up with nonsense and taking time that ought to be put on your lessons," she grumbled. "I don't approve of children's getting up concerts and racing about to practices. It makes them vain and forward and fond of gadding."
"But think of the worthy object," pleaded Anne. "A flag will cultivate a spirit of patriotism, Marilla."
"Fudge! There's precious little patriotism in the thoughts of any of you. All you want is a good time."
"Well, when you can combine patriotism and fun, isn't it all right? Of course it's real nice to be getting up a concert. We're going to have six choruses and Diana is to sing a solo. I'm in two dialogues—'The Society for the Suppression of Gossip' and 'The Fairy Queen.' The boys are going to have a dialogue too. And I'm to have two recitations, Marilla. I just tremble when I think of it, but it's a nice thrilly kind of tremble. And we're to have a tableau at the last—'Faith, Hope and Charity.' Diana and Ruby and I are to be in it, all draped in white with flowing hair. I'm to be Hope, with my hands clasped—so—and my eyes uplifted. I'm going to practice my recitations in the garret. Don't be alarmed if you hear me groaning. I have to groan heartrendingly in one of them, and it's really hard to get up a good artistic groan, Marilla.

Felt the Spirit Move

TO A BEAUTIFUL QUAKER.

  Sweet girl! though only once we met,
  That meeting I shall ne'er forget;
  And though we ne'er may meet again,
  Remembrance will thy form retain;
  I would not say, "I love," but still,
  My senses struggle with my will:
  In vain to drive thee from my breast,
  My thoughts are more and more represt;
  In vain I check the rising sighs,
  Another to the last replies:
  Perhaps, this is not love, but yet,
  Our meeting I can ne'er forget.

  What, though we never silence broke,
  Our eyes a sweeter language spoke;
  The tongue in flattering falsehood deals,
  And tells a tale it never feels:
  Deceit, the guilty lips impart,
  And hush the mandates of the heart;
  But soul's interpreters, the eyes,
  Spurn such restraint, and scorn disguise.
  As thus our glances oft convers'd,
  And all our bosoms felt rehears'd,
  No spirit, from within, reprov'd us,
  Say rather, "'twas the spirit mov'd us."
  Though, what they utter'd, I repress,
  Yet I conceive thou'lt partly guess;
  For as on thee, my memory ponders,
  Perchance to me, thine also wanders.
  This, for myself, at least, I'll say,
  Thy form appears through night, through day;
  Awake, with it my fancy teems,
  In sleep, it smiles in fleeting dreams;
  The vision charms the hours away,
  And bids me curse Aurora's ray
  For breaking slumbers of delight,
  Which make me wish for endless night.
  Since, oh! whate'er my future fate,
  Shall joy or woe my steps await;
  Tempted by love, by storms beset,
  Thine image, I can ne'er forget.

  Alas! again no more we meet,
  No more our former looks repeat;
  Then, let me breathe this parting prayer,
  The dictate of my bosom's care:
  "May Heaven so guard my lovely quaker,
  That anguish never can o'ertake her;
  That peace and virtue ne'er forsake her,
  But bliss be aye her heart's partaker!
  Oh! may the happy mortal, fated

  To be, by dearest ties, related,
  For her, each hour, new joys discover,

   And lose the husband in the lover!
  May that fair bosom never know
  What 'tis to feel the restless woe,
  Which stings the soul, with vain regret,
  Of him, who never can forget!"

1806.