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A Tale; And Other Poems. By the Author of Conrad, A Tragedy [i.e. Alfred Bunn]

Bunn, Alfred (1796?-1860)

PROLOGUE TO THE TRAGEDY OF “THE BROKEN HEART,”

REFLECTIONS.

ON THE DEATH OF WALTER JAMES, ESQ.

ON THE DEATH OF SARAH, WIFE OF JOHN GRAY, ESQ. OF NEWCASTLE.

TO THE MEMORY OF THE REV. HENRY ARNOLD,

WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF A LADY, TO A GENTLEMAN, WITH A PRESENT OF A RING.

THE VOYAGE OF TIME.

BATH, TO A FRIEND IN THE COUNTRY.

UPON THE AMATEUR PERFORMANCES AT THE BATH THEATRE.

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REFLECTIONS.

The fairy schemes of youth are fled,
The flow'rs which fancy wove, are dead;
Hope, oft believ'd, now vainly tries
To cheat me with her flatteries;
She sings of love—the magic sound
Has lost the power to soothe or wound:
Sweet dreams of bliss to others fly,
Alas! I only wish to die!

Oh friendship! in misfortune's hour
How blest thine aid, how great thy pow'r!
In this sad world of pain and care,
The only refuge from despair;
The dearest boon which Heaven bestows,
To mitigate our endless woes;
Vainly thy balm thou wouldst apply—
Alas! I only wish to die!

Let bright-eyed Fame, with hand divine,
Her fadeless wreaths of laurel twine;
To deck the blest, the envy'd name,
She writes in characters of flame:
Ambition's once high pulse is flown,
All hope, all expectation gone,
Nor Fame, nor Fortune wakes my sigh—
Alas! I only wish to die!

My soul is weary of the strife,
The doubts, the fears, the ills of life;
Love is consum'd in one short blaze,
E'en friendship's steadier flame decays,
And disappointment's chilling breath
Blights all the flowers in fancy's wreath;
For bliss on earth let others try—
Alas! I only wish to die!