 | The rural lyre |  |
101
BRISTOL ELEGY.
Hark! whence those groans of dying men?
Am I the slave of visionary, lingering fear?
How dolefully this night the clock strikes ten!
Leaving a mournful silence on the ear.
Am I the slave of visionary, lingering fear?
How dolefully this night the clock strikes ten!
Leaving a mournful silence on the ear.
Behold! there struggles with departing breath
The father of a helpless race !—Ah! why
Did you so rashly point the winged death,
And fill with early woe his infant's eye?
The father of a helpless race !—Ah! why
Did you so rashly point the winged death,
And fill with early woe his infant's eye?
See the fair babe bends from its mother's arms
To snatch the parting kiss! Turn, beauteous boy;
Thy fondness through his veins gives new alarms—
Yet, ere his lips grow cold, oh taste the sacred joy!
To snatch the parting kiss! Turn, beauteous boy;
Thy fondness through his veins gives new alarms—
Yet, ere his lips grow cold, oh taste the sacred joy!
102
'Tis done! No more thy little face shall hide
In his warm bosom, nor in cheerful mood
Play with his hair, and smile to hear him chide—
He's gone! he leaves thee to a world too rude.
In his warm bosom, nor in cheerful mood
Play with his hair, and smile to hear him chide—
He's gone! he leaves thee to a world too rude.
Ye sons of pity, raise the pale remains;
Vet'rans in murder, spare their aching hearts!
Grief for the dead the savage oft restrains;
To the fierce soul some tender warmth imparts.
Vet'rans in murder, spare their aching hearts!
Grief for the dead the savage oft restrains;
To the fierce soul some tender warmth imparts.
In vain I plead.—Whilst o'er the lifeless frame
Yon gen'rous youth hangs drooping, in his breast
The burning ball quenches its hidden flame,
Drinks up his blood—he silent sinks to rest.
Yon gen'rous youth hangs drooping, in his breast
The burning ball quenches its hidden flame,
Drinks up his blood—he silent sinks to rest.
For him his aged mother long must wait!
For him lies cooling on her narrow board
His frugal supper in a single plate—
'Tis all her wither'd fortune can afford.
For him lies cooling on her narrow board
His frugal supper in a single plate—
'Tis all her wither'd fortune can afford.
103
O'er her pale sorrows his affection hung;
Patience and hope beam'd in his youthful eye;
Pain flew the filial music of his tongue,
He whisper'd comfort when no joy was nigh.
Patience and hope beam'd in his youthful eye;
Pain flew the filial music of his tongue,
He whisper'd comfort when no joy was nigh.
Steal to thy pillow, lonely parent! know
Thy son shall cheer thy eve of life no more;
The wave receives him in its depth below,
And murmurs murder! as it winds the shore.
Thy son shall cheer thy eve of life no more;
The wave receives him in its depth below,
And murmurs murder! as it winds the shore.
Hence! guiltless
stranger, elegant of mind!
Thy name rever'd now sounds within thy hall;
For thy return pray'rs fill the murm'ring wind,
To Delia's sleepless eye thy shadow sweeps the wall.
Thy name rever'd now sounds within thy hall;
For thy return pray'rs fill the murm'ring wind,
To Delia's sleepless eye thy shadow sweeps the wall.
O fly! not unoffending art thou sure
To pass this scene where massacre may wound;
Here hath the heart no meed for being pure,
Here soft refinement only scorn hath found.
To pass this scene where massacre may wound;
Here hath the heart no meed for being pure,
Here soft refinement only scorn hath found.
104
Thy distant home is pictur'd on thy thought;
Delia expecting fills thy wishing soul;
Then fly this spot with viewless horror fraught!
Before thee welt'ring see those victims roll!
Delia expecting fills thy wishing soul;
Then fly this spot with viewless horror fraught!
Before thee welt'ring see those victims roll!
By terror warn'd, he hies him trembling on,
Lamenting man when fury makes him wild;
When, train'd for slaughter, he adores the gun,
And coolly murders e'en the kneeling child.
Lamenting man when fury makes him wild;
When, train'd for slaughter, he adores the gun,
And coolly murders e'en the kneeling child.
Strange force of habit! Haste!—thou art too late!—
To Delia's bosom thou must ne'er return;
Swift on its way the bullet's wing'd with fate,
His heart receives it, and his vitals burn.
To Delia's bosom thou must ne'er return;
Swift on its way the bullet's wing'd with fate,
His heart receives it, and his vitals burn.
His lips once quiver'd with fair Delia's name;
Once did he raise his eyes to find the light;
His soul, impatient in her injur'd frame,
Flew forth—he sunk in everlasting night.
Once did he raise his eyes to find the light;
His soul, impatient in her injur'd frame,
Flew forth—he sunk in everlasting night.
105
Stranger, farewel! Neglected and unknown,
Beyond the chambers of the sun retire!
There thou shalt see vast ages downward thrown,
With all that can destroy, with all that can inspire.
Beyond the chambers of the sun retire!
There thou shalt see vast ages downward thrown,
With all that can destroy, with all that can inspire.
Eternal bliss be thine!—What fearful scream
Troubles the air?—Must gentle woman die?
Ah! plunge her not beneath the restless stream:
Behold, assassins! her imploring eye!
Troubles the air?—Must gentle woman die?
Ah! plunge her not beneath the restless stream:
Behold, assassins! her imploring eye!
Gaze full on its mild beams, and ye shall feel
Softer emotions than the sword inspires;
Compassion, love, and sympathy would heal
Your spirits raging with destructive fire.
Softer emotions than the sword inspires;
Compassion, love, and sympathy would heal
Your spirits raging with destructive fire.
106
Hear her! Her unborn offspring shall return—
The mercy its sad mother feebly craves;
Know, though the Sons of War for conquest burn,
He boasts a nobler joy who beauty saves.
The mercy its sad mother feebly craves;
Know, though the Sons of War for conquest burn,
He boasts a nobler joy who beauty saves.
She's gone!—O Avon! when wilt thou refine?
How long must thou flow down thro' shameful years?
Long as bright Sol shall shadeless cross the line,
Thy wave shall blush with blood, and swell with tears.
How long must thou flow down thro' shameful years?
Long as bright Sol shall shadeless cross the line,
Thy wave shall blush with blood, and swell with tears.
Ye mourners of the dead, whose fruitless sighs
Yon slave of pride would silence with a smile;
Candour shall dry the tears that leave your eyes,
And strong sincerity your grief beguile.
Yon slave of pride would silence with a smile;
Candour shall dry the tears that leave your eyes,
And strong sincerity your grief beguile.
Ah! think how num'rous are the ills of life!
Through ev'ry moment millions die!—Not here
Lives the sole tragedy of mortal strife;
From pole to pole Contention shakes the sphere.
Through ev'ry moment millions die!—Not here
Lives the sole tragedy of mortal strife;
From pole to pole Contention shakes the sphere.
107
Too many must go down!—Time hath no hour
Unmark'd by death.—Could you his records see;
This night your sires, your children felt his pow'r:
To-morrow's dawn may summon you and me.
Unmark'd by death.—Could you his records see;
This night your sires, your children felt his pow'r:
To-morrow's dawn may summon you and me.
To seek with energy some glorious sphere,
The spirits of your sons and sires are fled;
And though the angel Pity hovers near,
Remember, she's forbid to wake the dead.
The spirits of your sons and sires are fled;
And though the angel Pity hovers near,
Remember, she's forbid to wake the dead.
Then nurse not dark revenge.—The peaceful mind
Can the true value of existence prove;
In contemplation ev'ry blessing find;
Calm in its joy, expanded in its love.
Can the true value of existence prove;
In contemplation ev'ry blessing find;
Calm in its joy, expanded in its love.
Love and divine Benevolence are one;
Together moving, an Almighty Whole:
Love's wondrous influence fills the genial sun,
Whilst objects round in sweet attraction roll.
Together moving, an Almighty Whole:
Love's wondrous influence fills the genial sun,
Whilst objects round in sweet attraction roll.
108
Witness, ye
Sons of Thought, who pitying view
Through Peace alone the source of human joy;
Who rove in search of Truth, to Order true,
Sparing of life, and shudd'ring to destroy.
Through Peace alone the source of human joy;
Who rove in search of Truth, to Order true,
Sparing of life, and shudd'ring to destroy.
Near you the flames of bigotry decline;
Hot superstition from your precept flies;
You bear the victim far from Moloch's shrine,
And unador'd the specious monster dies.
Hot superstition from your precept flies;
You bear the victim far from Moloch's shrine,
And unador'd the specious monster dies.
Shades of lamented victims! should you stay,
One moment ling'ring on the lower sky,
And pause to hear your mournful friends repay
Your past endearments with the fruitless sigh;
One moment ling'ring on the lower sky,
And pause to hear your mournful friends repay
Your past endearments with the fruitless sigh;
109
O pardon all who wrong'd you, chiefly those
Who forc'd you rudely to th'eternal throne;
Nor shrink from Deity! With him repose—
Whose purposes to man were never known.
Who forc'd you rudely to th'eternal throne;
Nor shrink from Deity! With him repose—
Whose purposes to man were never known.
A gentleman, supposed to be just arrived, and waiting to pass the bridge, at the door of Mr. Stock, grocer, in Thomas-street, was shot through the heart.
| The rural lyre | |