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81
ELEGY
ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. WALTER CRANSTON.
Enraptured hope had culled the perfumed flowers,
And twined her wreath around the glowing brow,
While faith hung fondly on the joyous hours,
And love beamed forth in amaranthine glow.
And twined her wreath around the glowing brow,
While faith hung fondly on the joyous hours,
And love beamed forth in amaranthine glow.
Each radiant eye, in kindling joy, surveyed
The cherub features of his glowing mien,
And mute attention winning homage paid,
And heaven's devotion harmonized the scene.
The cherub features of his glowing mien,
And mute attention winning homage paid,
And heaven's devotion harmonized the scene.
His smile angelic lit the troublous way,
When grief had shrouded earth in murky gloom,
Like orient sunbeams, in their brilliant play,
His flash could gild the darkness of the tomb.
When grief had shrouded earth in murky gloom,
Like orient sunbeams, in their brilliant play,
His flash could gild the darkness of the tomb.
O dear, lost patron of my tuneful art!
As stars, that flash along the crystal dome
Of heaven, a bright and vivid gleam impart
To nature, when the viewless spirits roam;
As stars, that flash along the crystal dome
Of heaven, a bright and vivid gleam impart
To nature, when the viewless spirits roam;
So the sheen rays of thy celestial soul
Illumed the darkness of my lonely path,
When the mild tear from thy dark lashes stole,
And gleamed thy shield amid the bolts of wrath
Illumed the darkness of my lonely path,
When the mild tear from thy dark lashes stole,
And gleamed thy shield amid the bolts of wrath
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As pearly streams, that lave the diamond mine,
Bear the rich treasure in their ceaseless flow,
Time, grief, misfortune, and decay combine
To gild the past with never-waning glow.
Bear the rich treasure in their ceaseless flow,
Time, grief, misfortune, and decay combine
To gild the past with never-waning glow.
O! oft with thee through classic haunts of yore,
With a soul fired to win the Paphian meed,
I roved, and mused on soft Castalia's shore,
And round Aganippe attuned the reed.
With a soul fired to win the Paphian meed,
I roved, and mused on soft Castalia's shore,
And round Aganippe attuned the reed.
Thy wisdom taught my grovelling thoughts to ris
When barbed darts transfixed my feeling heart,
The arch of love and mercy spanned the skies,
When thy bold hand with vigour drew the dart.
When barbed darts transfixed my feeling heart,
The arch of love and mercy spanned the skies,
When thy bold hand with vigour drew the dart.
Unknown to guile, impelled by virtue's power,
His heaven-girt soul disdained the aspic fiend
Of malice,—scandal,—who improved the hour
Unguarded, to assail the bosom of my friend.
His heaven-girt soul disdained the aspic fiend
Of malice,—scandal,—who improved the hour
Unguarded, to assail the bosom of my friend.
O! on the varnished hypocrite there fell
His holy ire, and sacred malison,
The painted demon back recoiled to hell,
And joined his compeers in their feats anon.
His holy ire, and sacred malison,
The painted demon back recoiled to hell,
And joined his compeers in their feats anon.
But oh! what scenes are opening on thy sight,
What raptured strains awake thy living lyre
Shrouded in innocence, and robed in light,
Thy bosom burns with bright, ethereal fire
What raptured strains awake thy living lyre
Shrouded in innocence, and robed in light,
Thy bosom burns with bright, ethereal fire
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Ah! could my hand but reach thy distant tomb,
Fair flowers should deck the desolate domain
Of sin's fierce heir, and blossoms e'er illume
The darkling grandeur of his dreaded reign.
Fair flowers should deck the desolate domain
Of sin's fierce heir, and blossoms e'er illume
The darkling grandeur of his dreaded reign.
But breathing sculpture cannot raise thy fame,
Nor mausoleums consecrate the sod;—
O sainted shade! thy fair and glorious name
By angels is engraved upon the throne of God.
Nor mausoleums consecrate the sod;—
O sainted shade! thy fair and glorious name
By angels is engraved upon the throne of God.
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