Handwritten Copy of Hannah More’s Poem, “Turn the Carpet or the Two Weavers”

By: Hannah More

Collection ID

PPR.002313

Type

Papers

Date

Late 1700s–1800s

Geography

Possibly England

Language

English

Medium

Ink on Paper

Dimensions

9 × 7.5 in. (22.8 × 19 cm)

Exhibit Location

Not on View

Hannah More (1745–1833) was an English poet, playwright, religious writer, social reformer, and anti-slavery activist. This poem was written by More and published in 1796. In it, two weavers, Dick and John, have a conversation. Dick complains how the world is unfair, and John counters that their work would not be understood if a stranger walked in on them weaving. “‘But when we reach that world of light,’ // ‘And view those works of God aright,’ // ‘Then shall we see the whole design,’ // ‘And own the workman is divine.’” It is uncertain if More wrote this manuscript because, when compared to her published poem, it contains some anomalies in stanza 6, lines 3–4, and stanza 8, line 4.

Likely created in the late 1700s through the 1800s.[1] Acquired by 2010 by Gene Albert (Christian Heritage Museum), Hagerstown, Maryland; Privately purchased in 2010 by Green Collection, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Donated in 2017 to National Christian Foundation (later The Signatry), under the curatorial care of Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC.

Notes: [1] The document does not contain a date, and it is uncertain who wrote it. Its handwriting style, while similar in places to Hannah More’s style, does not match entirely.

Questions about our Collections?

Visit Contact Us Page

(866) 430-MOTB

To acquire permission to use this image, please visit our Rights and Reproduction page .

More From The Collections

© Museum of the Bible 2024
Designed by PlainJoe