Original poems on several subjects In two volumes. By William Stevenson |
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 | II. |
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On the Death of a beloved Friend cut off in the Prime of Life. |
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 | Original poems on several subjects |  |
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On the Death of a beloved Friend cut off in the Prime of Life.
------ Juvenem raptum
Plorat.------
Hor.
Plorat.------
Hor.
The smiling Spring, with all her jocund train,
The brook that glides along the mossy plain;
The birds that warble undisturb'd by care,
The gales that gently agitate the air;
The vista green, and honey-suckle shade,
The flowery meadow, and the sunny glade;
Delight no more: Spring vainly smiles relief
To nicely-feeling hearts o'erwhelm'd with grief.
Ye dreary regions! ye impervious glooms,
Where sickly Fancy uncouth forms assumes,
And, on these ghostly phantoms of her brain,
Muses with pleasure strongly mark'd with pain;
Where Melancholy broods o'er her distress,
Yet strange! half disinclin'd to have it less;
Where death-like Silence fixes her domain,
Save when loud screech-owls dolefully complain;
Hither the sullen pensive Muse would fly,
Where tears may flow from Friendship's gushing eye;
Where Echoes, in sad accents like her own,
Give sigh for sigh, and answer groan with groan!
The brook that glides along the mossy plain;
The birds that warble undisturb'd by care,
The gales that gently agitate the air;
The vista green, and honey-suckle shade,
The flowery meadow, and the sunny glade;
Delight no more: Spring vainly smiles relief
To nicely-feeling hearts o'erwhelm'd with grief.
Ye dreary regions! ye impervious glooms,
Where sickly Fancy uncouth forms assumes,
And, on these ghostly phantoms of her brain,
Muses with pleasure strongly mark'd with pain;
Where Melancholy broods o'er her distress,
Yet strange! half disinclin'd to have it less;
Where death-like Silence fixes her domain,
Save when loud screech-owls dolefully complain;
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Where tears may flow from Friendship's gushing eye;
Where Echoes, in sad accents like her own,
Give sigh for sigh, and answer groan with groan!
O Life! thou empty, transitory thing!
Thou airy trifle ever on the wing!
Thou bubble dancing on the restless stream!
Thou meteor false! thou unsubstantial dream!
What is it thy vain pageant name implies?
What art thou, glitt'ring phantom, to the wise?
A moment tears thee from thy votary's hold,
Vainly secur'd by honours and by gold.
When such as---from thy scenes withdraw,
His choice according thus with Nature's law,
Ere the fair flow'r of vouth maturely blown,
Thy sweets and vices equally unknown;
Who would affect, with poverty of mind,
In mean pursuits to linger here behind?
Thou airy trifle ever on the wing!
Thou bubble dancing on the restless stream!
Thou meteor false! thou unsubstantial dream!
What is it thy vain pageant name implies?
What art thou, glitt'ring phantom, to the wise?
A moment tears thee from thy votary's hold,
Vainly secur'd by honours and by gold.
When such as---from thy scenes withdraw,
His choice according thus with Nature's law,
Ere the fair flow'r of vouth maturely blown,
Thy sweets and vices equally unknown;
Who would affect, with poverty of mind,
In mean pursuits to linger here behind?
Ah! how can mem'ry recognize his name,
Nor yet the song of soft condolence frame!
How can the gentle graces of his mind,
His kind benevolence to humankind;
His temper's cheerful unaffected ease,
His soul's sincere solicitude to please;
His tender sensibility of heart,
That with kind pity throbb'd in every part;
Who, the Possessor gone, can these recall
To mind, nor let the tear of anguish fall!
None here in genuine sorrow can exceed,
But he from Friendship's ties, and Nature's, freed.
The noblest minds are most to pity bent,
And gen'rous natures oftenest relent;
The savage spirit, and unsocial heart,
Feel not, O Sympathy! thy pleasing smart.
Nor yet the song of soft condolence frame!
How can the gentle graces of his mind,
His kind benevolence to humankind;
His temper's cheerful unaffected ease,
His soul's sincere solicitude to please;
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That with kind pity throbb'd in every part;
Who, the Possessor gone, can these recall
To mind, nor let the tear of anguish fall!
None here in genuine sorrow can exceed,
But he from Friendship's ties, and Nature's, freed.
The noblest minds are most to pity bent,
And gen'rous natures oftenest relent;
The savage spirit, and unsocial heart,
Feel not, O Sympathy! thy pleasing smart.
Dear Youth! companion of the placid hour,
When Friendship call'd forth ev'ry social pow'r;
From thy decease one lesson may I learn,
Which theories vainly teach us to discern;
That to live well, is learning how to die,
And scorning earth, is to possess the sky.
Yonder he sleeps on Death's cold senseless lap,
Death, to the good, is but a peaceful nap,
In which from num'rous ills it shuts his eyes,
Till the last trump invites him to arise.
Behold these smiles o'er all his features spread,
Are smiles the wonted graces of the dead?
No; though depriv'd of mere mechanic breath,
He speaks in silence, and exists in death.
When Friendship call'd forth ev'ry social pow'r;
From thy decease one lesson may I learn,
Which theories vainly teach us to discern;
That to live well, is learning how to die,
And scorning earth, is to possess the sky.
Yonder he sleeps on Death's cold senseless lap,
Death, to the good, is but a peaceful nap,
In which from num'rous ills it shuts his eyes,
Till the last trump invites him to arise.
Behold these smiles o'er all his features spread,
Are smiles the wonted graces of the dead?
No; though depriv'd of mere mechanic breath,
He speaks in silence, and exists in death.
| Original poems on several subjects | |