STANZAS.
TO THE MEMORY OF A FRIEND.
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High
throbs the heart with sorrows keenest swell,
While now a parting tribute
friendship pays
To one long dearly loved, whose fun’ral knell
Strikes the sad ear with
death’s last obsequies.
And onward there, deep, melancholy, slow,
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In
solemn silence move the weeping train—
Where they consign, in all the gloom of woe,
Pale earth to earth, and
dust to dust again.
This, this thy fate, just when the op’ning
day
Of manhood beamed upon thy
youthful brow, [Page 204]
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And
fortune smiled, to cheer and gild thy way,
But never proved, alas!
so false as now!
There, o’er thy grave a mother bending weeps,
Whose aged heart life’s
chequered walk has run—
A sister, too, thy new raised pillow steeps,
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Clings
to the wreck ’twere better far to shun.
Thus, the bright ray Hope kindled to the view—
As shines the lamp in winter’s
piercing breath—
A while around a cheering light it threw,
Then quiv’ring, sunk
in the night-shade of death—
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And as a meteor gliding from the pole,
Swift passed those joys
to ruin and decay,
That once as brightly played upon the soul,
And pure as sunbeams on
a summer sea.
Then, fare thee well—One bleeding
heart shall mourn,
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To
which, nor time nor chance can bring relief—
[Page 205]
Her vestal hand shall guard thy sacred urn,
And there consume her days
in endless grief—
With pious care she’ll tend that hallowed
spot,
Where sleeps the youth for
whom her bosom glowed—
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Nor
shall that heart one moment be forgot,
Where friendship, honour,
truth, and love abode.
Ah, no—for thee her anthem still shall rise
To heaven’s portals
at the close of day—
For thee, her fervent prayers shall reach the skies,
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When
evening gems the deep blue starry way.
And while she tastes the balm heaven’s hope
must bring,
And owns the path her blest
Redeemer trod—
Death seems disarmed of his envenom’d sting,
And all her wishes centre
in her God.
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Oh! may our hearts the grateful homage feel,
And turn to Him who kindly
bids us live: [Page 206]
Whose mercy still the deepest wound can heal—
Who bids us ask, and he
will freely give. [Page 207]
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