O, what is life? ’Tis like a flower

I became aware of the following hymn while doing genealogical research through obituaries in The Christian Index. The following obituary of Frances E. Wilson (a first cousin 4 times removed), was printed in the Index, September 9, 1847. She was only 17 years old, and died at the home of her sister and brother-in-law.

OBITUARY.

Died, at the house Joseph R. Parker, in Taliaferro county on the 15th of last month, Frances E. Wilson, daughter of Mrs. Bethena Wilson, aged 17 years and 5 months. This young lady was not a member of any church, but was for some time previous to her death penitent, and gave such evidence of a change of heart, that, while her friends are left to mourn her departure, they feel assured she has gone to rest.

O, what is life?—’tis like a flower
That blossoms and is gone;
It flourishes its little hour,
With all its beauty on:
Death comes, and, like a wintry day,
It cuts the lovely flower away.

I looked up the hymn and found it is by Jane Taylor. It has at least two other stanzas, dealing with the brevity and instability of life – and the hope of eternal life.

1. O, what is life?—’tis like a flower
That blossoms and is gone;
It flourishes its little hour,
With all its beauty on:
Death comes, and, like a wintry day,
It cuts the lovely flower away.
 
2. O, what is life?—’tis like the bow
That glistens in the sky:
We love to see its colors glow,
But while we look they die:
Life fails as soon: to-day ’tis here;
To-morrow it may disappear.
 
3. Lord, what is life? If spent with thee,
In humble praise and prayer,
How long or short our life may be
We feel no anxious care;
Though life depart, our joys shall last
When life and all its joys are past.

In his bio on Ann Taylor Gilbert and Jane Taylor, John Julian writes:

Taylor, Jane, the younger of the two sisters, was b. at London, Sept. 23, 1783. Her gift in writing verse displayed itself at an early age. Her first piece was printed in the Minor’s Pocket Book for 1804. Her publications included Display, a tale, 1815; Essays in Rhymes, 1816; and the posthumous work edited by her brother, entitled The Contributions of Q. Q., 1824, being pieces in prose and verse from the Youth’s Magazine, to which she had contributed under the signature of “Q. Q.” She d. at Ongar, Essex, April 13, 1824. Her Memoir and Poetical Remains, were pub. by her father in 1825.

The joint productions of the two sisters, Ann Taylor Gilbert & Jane Taylor, were:—

(1) Original Poems, 1805; (2) Hymns for the Nursery, 1806; (3) Hymns for Infant Minds, 1809; 2nd ed. 1810; 52nd ed. 1877. To the 35th ed., 1844, Mrs. Gilbert interspersed 23 additional hymns by herself, thereby raising the total to 93. In 1886 Josiah Gilbert revised these hymns, added thereto from the works named above, supplied the initials “A.” and “J.”, respectively, and published the same under the original title as the “Authorized Edition.” (4) Original Hymns for Sunday Schools, 1812.

[After this, Julian lists 24 hymns by Ann and 14 by Jane.]

Julian further writes, giving his opinion of Jane Taylor’s hymns:

Miss Taylor’s hymns are marked by great simplicity and directness. The most popular and one of the best is, “There is a path that leads to God.” Taken as a whole, her hymns are somewhat depressing in tone. They lack brightness and warmth.” (A Dictionary of Hymnology, Volume II, P-Z, page 1117)

This hymn appears to have achieved some popularity as devotional and funerary poetry, but is seldom found in song books. One exception is What is Life by G. W. Linton in Kind Words: a New Collection of Hymns and Tunes for Sunday Schools and the Social Circle (G. W. Linton, H. M. Teasdale, 1871). The best-known poem by Jane Taylor probably is “The Star,” often titled “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (Rhymes for the Nursery, 1806).