Poems by the late Hon. William R. Spencer A New Edition with Corrections and Additions; To Which is Prefixed A Biographical Memoir by the Editor |
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EPITAPH
UPON THE YEAR 1806. |
 | Poems by the late Hon. William R. Spencer |  |
192
EPITAPH UPON THE YEAR 1806.
'Tis gone, with its thorns and its roses,
With the dust of dead ages to mix!
Time's charnel for ever encloses
The year eighteen hundred and six!
With the dust of dead ages to mix!
Time's charnel for ever encloses
The year eighteen hundred and six!
Though many may question thy merit,
I duly thy dirge will perform,
Content, if thy heir but inherit
Thy portion of sunshine and storm!
I duly thy dirge will perform,
Content, if thy heir but inherit
Thy portion of sunshine and storm!
My blame and my blessing thou sharest,
For black were thy moments in part,
But oh! thy fair days were the fairest
That ever have shone on my heart.
For black were thy moments in part,
But oh! thy fair days were the fairest
That ever have shone on my heart.
193
If thine was a gloom the completest
That death's darkest cypress could throw,
Thine too was a garland the sweetest
That life in full blossom could shew!
That death's darkest cypress could throw,
Thine too was a garland the sweetest
That life in full blossom could shew!
One hand gave the balmy corrector
Of ills which the other had brew'd;
One draught of thy chalice of nectar
All taste of thy bitters subdu'd.—
Of ills which the other had brew'd;
One draught of thy chalice of nectar
All taste of thy bitters subdu'd.—
'Tis gone, with its thorns and its roses!
With mine, tears more precious will mix,
To hallow this midnight which closes
The year eighteen hundred and six.
With mine, tears more precious will mix,
To hallow this midnight which closes
The year eighteen hundred and six.
| Poems by the late Hon. William R. Spencer | |