American poems, selected and original

The world now yeilds to night's returning sway;
The deeper glooms lead on the solemn hour,
And call my steps, beneath the moon's pale ray,
To roam in SADNESS on the sea-beat shore.

Now glide the inconstant shadows o'er the plain,
The broad moon swimming thro the broken clouds,
The gleam of waters brightens on the main,
And anchor'd navies lift their wavering shrouds.

Deep silence reigns; save on the moory ground,
The long reed rustling to the passing gales,
The noise of dashing waves, and hallow sound
Of rushing winds, that murmur thro the sails.

Far hence, ye pleasures of a mind at ease,
The sprightly joys, that rural scenes can yeild,
When spring, led jocund by the softening breeze,
Wakes the glad morn, and robes the dewy field!

Far be the giddy raptures of the gay,
The midnight joys licentious youth can share,
When ruin, smiling o'er her destin'd prey,
In sweet allurements hides the deadly snare.

Mine be the music of the rolling wave,
The moonlight shadows and surrounding gloom;
Mine the dread haunts of contemplation grave,
That lift the soul to scenes beyond the tomb.

Here while deep midnight holds her silent reign,
And fancy bears the ravish'd thought along,
Dark melancholy spreads her airy train,
And friendship calls, and grief inspires the song.

As thro these mournful glooms I stretch'd my sight,
Mid sounds of death, that bid the soul attend,
Mid empty forms, and fleeting shapes of night,
Slowly I view a white-rob'd shade ascend,

That says—“I once was St. John! from the bounds
Of unknown realms beneath the dreary wave,
Where ever-restless floods, in nightly rounds,
Roll their dark surges o'er my watry grave;

From seats, which ne'er to mortal sight display'd,
The gates of dread eternity surround,
In night conceal'd, and death's impervious shade,
My voice ascends: attend the warning sound!

Oh thou, attend! who flush'd with early bloom,
In life's new spring, and vernal sweetness gay,
Heedless of fate, that must thy branch entomb,
Spread'st thy green blossoms to the morning ray.

With thee how late, how like, alas! to thee;
To mortal joys, by opening youth beguil'd,
I stretch'd my airy wish, and follow'd free,
Where pleasure triumph'd, and where fancy smil'd.

Then, while fond hope her glittering pinions spread,
Pointing to climes beyond the distant wave,
Even then, unnotic'd, o'er my destin'd head,
Hung death's dire form, and seal'd me for the grave.

How vain the thought for many a joyous morn,
To taste of raptures unallay'd by woe!
At once from life and every pleasure torn,
From all I wish'd, and all I lov'd below.

The faithless morning, on our opening sails,
Smil'd out serene, and smooth'd our gliding way,
While the gay vessel, fann'd by breathing gales,
Play'd on the placid bosom of the sea.

When lo, descending on the darkening wind,
Burst the dire storm,—and feeble to sustain
The rushing blasts, in warring fury join'd,
The frail skiff sinks beneath the surging main.

And see, afar the oarless boat conveys
The trembling sailors to the distant shore;
Alone, of aid bereft, with one last gaze,
I sunk in deeps: and sunk to rise no more.

In that sad hour, what fearful scenes arise,
What pangs distress, what unknown fears dismay!
When future worlds disclosing on our eyes,
The trembling soul forsakes the kindred day!

Before the awful bar, the Almighty throne,
In dread I've stood the Eternal Judge to see,
And fix'd in bliss, or doom'd to endless moan,
Have heard the long, the unrevers'd decree:

Nor earth must know the rest.”—Where art thou now,
In youthful joys my partner and my friend;
Of those blest hours thy fortune gave below,
Of all our hopes is this the fatal end?

Ah what avail'd that energy of mind,
The heights of science, and of arts to explore,
That early led where genius unconfin'd,
Spreads her glad feast, and opes her classic store!

Ah what avail'd, in earthly bliss so frail,
The fame gay-dawning on thy rising years!
Ah what avail'd,—for what could then avail?—
Thy friend's deep sorrows, or thy country's tears!

In pleasure's paths, by vivid fancy led,
Mid every hope that blooming worth could raise,
The wings of death with fatal horror spread,
Blank'd the bright promise of thy future days.

So, from the louring west, the darken'd clouds
Rush on the sun and dim his orient ray,
And hateful night in glooms untimely shrouds
The ascending glories of the vernal day.

Adieu, my friend, so dear in vain, adieu,
Till some short days their fleeting courses roll;
Soon shall our steps thine earlier fate pursue,
Mov'd in the race, and crowding to the goal.

The approaching hour shall see the sun no more,
Wheel his long course, or spread his golden ray;
Soon the vain dream of mortal life be o'er,
The brightness dawning of celestial day.

Then join'd in bliss, as once in friendship join'd,
May pitying Heaven our purer spirits raise,
Each crime atton'd, each virtue well refin'd,
To pass a blest eternity of praise!—

Mr. St. John was meditating a voyage to Europe.

University of Virginia Library

An ELEGY,

On the death of Mr. Buckingham St. John; who was drowned in his passage from New-Haven to Norwalk, May 5th, 1771.

BY THE SAME.