Caroline Atkins

A handsome English sampler, this was made by Caroline Atkins age 11, December, 1839; she lived in Deal, a coastal town located 8 miles northeast of Dover on the English Channel. Caroline was born on October 15, 1828, to Robert and Eliza (Spice) Atkins. Robert worked as a pilot, which of course meant a ship pilot. 

The central image of a flowering plant sitting on a plinth with chevron stripes offers a folky appeal furthered by the deer, fruit baskets and little plants. Two moralistic verses were carefully stitched in deep blue silk on either side and Caroline accommodated space for her lettering in a somewhat creative fashion. 

Content

Reasons whole pleasure all the joys of sense / Lie in three words health peace and competence

But health consists with temperance alone / And peace o virtue peace is all thy own

Hymn to Providence

The Lord my pasture shall prepare / And feed me with a shepherd's care / His presence shall my wants supply

And guard me with a watchful eye / My noonday walks he shall attend / And all my midnight hours defend

written as a hymn in 1712 by Joseph Addison. 

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in its original rosewood frame with a gilt liner.