To Dr Maxwell, on Miss Jessy Staig's Recovery
written in 1794
To Dr Maxwell, on Miss Jessy Staig's Recovery - meaning Summary
Gratitude for Saved Life
This short address thanks Dr Maxwell for restoring Miss Jessy Staig to health. The speaker refuses personal credit and directs praise to the physician, presenting Jessie as so beloved and pure that her survival seems miraculous. The final line elevates her by suggesting even an angel could not die, turning medical success into near-divine rescue. The poem functions as a concise public gratitude that blends sincere praise with rhetorical hyperbole to honor both patient and healer.
Read Complete AnalysesMaxwell, if merit here you crave, That merit I deny: You save fair Jessie from the grave! An Angel could not die.
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