Poems and Plays by Mr. Jerningham. In Four Volumes ... The Ninth Edition |
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III.
Yet, Album, ere the willing task I leave,
Warm from the heart these closing lines receive.
'Twas at the hour to contemplation due,
When evening meekly from the world withdrew,
Beneath an aged oak, in pensive mood,
I Sorrow's solitary captive stood:
When, from the rifted trunk's obscure recess,
A voice breath'd forth, in accents of distress;
“Where! where is she! of mild and rev'rend mien,
“Once the lov'd mistress of this sylvan scene?”—
“Fall'n—fall'n—fall'n—fall'n!”—a distant voice replied:
The branches shook, as if to sense allied:
Wild Terror flung his strong enchantment round,
And evening hurried into night profound!
Warm from the heart these closing lines receive.
'Twas at the hour to contemplation due,
When evening meekly from the world withdrew,
Beneath an aged oak, in pensive mood,
I Sorrow's solitary captive stood:
When, from the rifted trunk's obscure recess,
A voice breath'd forth, in accents of distress;
“Where! where is she! of mild and rev'rend mien,
“Once the lov'd mistress of this sylvan scene?”—
160
The branches shook, as if to sense allied:
Wild Terror flung his strong enchantment round,
And evening hurried into night profound!
Now fond remembrance turns a willing sight,
To dwell on gayer scenes of past delight,
Pleas'd to behold her, midst the polish'd train,
With grace, with dignity, her part sustain.
To mild festivity by nature prone,
With inbred wit peculiarly her own,
Prompt ev'ry sportive incident to seize,
Diffusing pleasure with a careless ease;
Of pow'r to charm invincibly possess'd,
Unfelt she glided into every breast.
There are, who, fram'd with an enlighten'd taste,
High on the critic form by judgment plac'd,
Who (marking well her sense with strength combin'd,
The scintillations of her playful mind,
An aptitude that never lost its aim)
With brilliant Sevigne in wreathe her name.
To dwell on gayer scenes of past delight,
Pleas'd to behold her, midst the polish'd train,
With grace, with dignity, her part sustain.
To mild festivity by nature prone,
With inbred wit peculiarly her own,
Prompt ev'ry sportive incident to seize,
Diffusing pleasure with a careless ease;
Of pow'r to charm invincibly possess'd,
Unfelt she glided into every breast.
There are, who, fram'd with an enlighten'd taste,
High on the critic form by judgment plac'd,
Who (marking well her sense with strength combin'd,
The scintillations of her playful mind,
161
With brilliant Sevigne in wreathe her name.
To discontent, the vice of age, unknown,
Her chearfulness maintain'd its envied throne:
The gay, the old, the learned, and the young,
And they whose heart pure elegance had strung,
By the soft pow'r of her enchantment won,
Would oft the glare of throng'd assemblies shun,
To court her ready wit's enliv'ning beam,
And bask beneath its undulating gleam.
Her chearfulness maintain'd its envied throne:
The gay, the old, the learned, and the young,
And they whose heart pure elegance had strung,
By the soft pow'r of her enchantment won,
Would oft the glare of throng'd assemblies shun,
To court her ready wit's enliv'ning beam,
And bask beneath its undulating gleam.
Yet oft from these unnotic'd would she steal,
To soothe the bed-rid stretch'd on Torture's wheel,
To smoothe the furrow on Misfortune's brow,
To warm the timid, and exalt the low;
With lenient hand administer relief,
And close the bleeding artery of grief.
Ah, ever dear! ah, venerable Shade!
Indulge this honor by Affection paid.
Enthron'd in bliss, ah! yet forbear to shun
This holy tribute from a zealous Son.
'Twas mine, attendant on thy evening ray,
To watch the sun-set of thy blameless day;
To see thee, weary of th' unequal strife,
Shed the faint glimm'rings of exhausted life;
And (heavenly Moralist, sublimely great!)
At the dread opening of thy future state,
Teach by example, to thy latest breath,
Meekness in pain, and fortitude in death!
To soothe the bed-rid stretch'd on Torture's wheel,
To smoothe the furrow on Misfortune's brow,
To warm the timid, and exalt the low;
With lenient hand administer relief,
And close the bleeding artery of grief.
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Indulge this honor by Affection paid.
Enthron'd in bliss, ah! yet forbear to shun
This holy tribute from a zealous Son.
'Twas mine, attendant on thy evening ray,
To watch the sun-set of thy blameless day;
To see thee, weary of th' unequal strife,
Shed the faint glimm'rings of exhausted life;
And (heavenly Moralist, sublimely great!)
At the dread opening of thy future state,
Teach by example, to thy latest breath,
Meekness in pain, and fortitude in death!
| Poems and Plays | |