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A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Christina Rossetti was a Victorian Christian poet. She wrote
hundreds of poems, some of which became hymns/carols that
Christians love to sing at Christmas. They are so beautiful and
perfect that they remain just as she wrote them. But who was she?

In 1824 Gabriele Rossetti left Italy for England as a political
refugee. In England he met and married Frances Polidori, the
daughter of an Italian exile. They had four children: Maria,
Dante Gabriel, William Michael, and Christina. Each of them
possessed extraordinary capabilities. I am concerned here with
Christina, but it won’t hurt to say a few words about the other three
siblings. Maria was a noted author on Dante; she also published a
number of religious books and articles on Italian subjects. Dante
Gabriel was recognised as an outstanding poet and painter.
William’s fame flowed not only from his critical skill in regard to art
and literature, but his studies of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Christina is my favourite Christian poet: I just love reading anything
she has written. However, her Christmas poems/hymns are really
special. Take for instance the following Christmas poem:

A baby is a harmless thing
And wins our hearts with one accord,
And Flower of Babies was their King,
Jesus Christ our Lord:
Lily of lilies He
Upon His mother’s knee,
Rose of roses soon to be
Crowned with thorns on leafless tree.
A lamb is innocent and mild
And merry on the soft green sod;
And Jesus Christ, the Undefiled,

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