A Complete Edition of the Works of Nancy Luce

In Short

This collection is an idiosyncratic fusion of spiritual autobiography and manual for poultry care. It records the deep, companionable love the author felt for her pet hens, each named with phonetic whimsy, and chronicles the profound, soul-shattering grief she experienced upon their deaths. Interspersed with these laments are fervent Christian prayers and highly specific, often effective, medical instructions for treating common avian ailments. It persists as a moving, if unconventional, archive of a life defined by acute empathy for the "dumb creatures" that populated her isolated existence.

The Story

The narrative arc begins in the quiet, often painful solitude of West Tisbury, where the author, plagued by chronic illness and physical confinement, finds solace in the company of her bantams. These creatures are not merely livestock; they are her closest companions, possessing, in her view, "more than common wit" and an intuitive understanding of her own physical misery. The story unfolds as a series of intimate portraits of these birds—Ada Queetie, Beauty Linna, and the beloved Tweedle Tedel Beebee Pinky—who offered her the affection and stability that the human world seemed to deny her.

As the author details the lives of these hens, the prose moves from the tender joys of shared companionship to the harrowing realities of illness and death. When her pets fall sick, she describes the exhaustive, nights-long vigils she kept, nursing them with meticulous care, prayer, and basic remedies. Each death—whether from old age or "chicken distemper"—is rendered with a raw, heart-rending intensity that elevates the loss of a bird to the level of a human tragedy. She recounts the way her heart broke during these periods of mourning, noting that the death of Ada Queetie was the specific catalyst that deepened her spiritual life and compelled her to turn toward God.

The middle and later sections of the work transition into a broader, more instructional mission. Recognizing the suffering she sees in the world—not only among humans but among animals who "cannot speak, nor help themselves"—the author codifies her caretaking knowledge. She presents a detailed manual on how to treat everything from "stoppage in the stomach" to "bag stone" and "froth in the throat." These technical instructions are woven tightly into her theological framework; to treat a hen properly is not just good husbandry, but a moral imperative. She argues that because God created these beings, cruelty toward them is a grievous sin.

The book concludes with a return to her own state of endurance. She remains a woman physically worn down by years of trials, looking toward death not with fear, but as a release from this "world of misery." She prays that in the afterlife, she will be reunited with her "poor little hearts." Her final pages are a reflection on her legacy, including the epitaphs she has composed for her hens’ graves. She leaves the reader with a final, urgent plea for the "inhabitants of the earth" to adopt a spirit of mercy, tenderness, and justice, treating all living things with the kindness one would wish for oneself.

How It Unfolds

The bond of companionship The author establishes her deep emotional investment in her hens, explaining how they comforted her during long, painful days of chronic illness. She demonstrates that these birds were capable of profound affection, often following her or showing distress whenever she was forced to lie down or leave the room.

The crucible of loss The narrative shifts to the traumatic experience of nursing her pets through terminal illness. She describes spending eighteen nights without removing her clothes, feeding her birds by the teaspoon, and feeling an agony that left her "broken hearted" long after their deaths.

The moral imperative She argues that God’s law demands kindness toward all helpless creatures, whether human or animal. This section moves from autobiography to moral exhortation, asserting that "the greatest sin" is to be cruel to those who cannot help themselves.

The veterinary handbook The author provides a comprehensive guide for curing poultry, drawing on years of trial-and-error observation. She details specific, unconventional remedies and management practices, such as the necessity of a cellar for health and the proper use of black pepper and epsom salts.

The prayerful conclusion The book ends with a series of earnest prayers for the world's relief from sin and suffering. She reaffirms her trust in God as her "only true friend," finding comfort in the belief that her path of sorrow will lead to a place where sickness and trials are unknown.

The People

The author, Nancy Luce, stands at the center of this world, a woman who is both the primary caregiver and the primary patient. She is defined by her isolation, her fragile health, and an abundance of empathy that she directs toward the voiceless. Her desire is for a world that recognizes the inherent value of all living beings, and she is blocked by what she perceives as widespread human cruelty and indifference. Through her devotion to her hens, she transforms her own trauma into a form of active, religious ministry.

Her hens, most notably Ada Queetie, Beauty Linna, and Tweedle Tedel Beebee Pinky, are the secondary figures. They are sentient, loving individuals in her eyes, possessing distinct personalities and a capacity for "wit" that rivals human intelligence. They act as her confidants and her reason for living; they are the recipients of her labor and the source of her deepest grief. Their deaths represent the primary obstacles to her happiness on earth, and their anticipated presence in heaven represents her ultimate hope for reconciliation and peace.

In Its Own Voice

"The greatest sin is to cruel the poor harmless dumb creatures, They cannot speak, nor help themselves, The next sin is to cruel sick human."

The author establishes her core ethical philosophy, placing the welfare of animals on equal moral footing with that of vulnerable humans.

"She had more than common wit, And more than common love, Her heart was full of love for me, O do consider my Poor little heart."

In this lament for her pet, she captures the profound, reciprocal affection that defined her relationship with her bantams.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the redemptive power of empathy. The author argues that because human beings and animals alike are "helpless" in the face of suffering and death, they share a common moral condition. Her writing is an attempt to bridge the gap between this "world of misery" and a divine standard of kindness. She treats the act of nursing a sick chicken not as a trivial farm chore, but as a sacred duty. Ultimately, the book is an argument against the hardening of the human heart, asserting that our treatment of the most vulnerable and voiceless among us serves as the primary gauge of our spiritual worth.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the raw, unfiltered interior lives of historical figures will find this a fascinating document. It is not a polished work of literature; it is a document of profound, idiosyncratic grief that refuses to soften its edges. You will encounter a voice that is at once intensely local—grounded in the specific geography and rhythms of nineteenth-century Massachusetts—and universal in its expression of loss. The author’s insistence on the intelligence and emotional depth of her chickens may challenge modern assumptions, offering a window into a perspective that is both startlingly original and deeply sympathetic.

However, the reader should be prepared for the relentless focus on physical misery and the repetitive, litany-like structure of the prayers and laments. The author’s vernacular, while rhythmic and earnest, can be challenging, and her preoccupation with her own ailments and the illnesses of her hens is unwavering. Yet, there is a quiet, stubborn dignity in her record-keeping. What stays with you is the image of a woman, alone in a cold, hard world, choosing to devote her limited strength to the comfort of small, fragile lives. It is an honest, unvarnished look at how one person found a way to bear the unbearable.