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Elegiac verses to a young lady, on the death of her brother

who was slain in the late engagement at Boston. The author Mrs. M. Robinson
Robinson, Mary (1758-1800)
 
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ELEGIAC VERSES.

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ELEGIAC VERSES.

I

While the fond tear bedews a Brother's shade,
While silent anguish rends the bleeding heart,
Shall meek-ey'd Sympathy with-hold her aid?
Or strive some genial succour to impart?

II

Ah pleasing Hope! to gild Affliction's gloom,
In all its sorrows to accept a share,
T'assuage Misfortune's yet untimely doom,
And chace Despondence from the brow of Care!
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III

Come then, blest Monitress—inspire the Muse,
Direct her genuine numbers how to flow,
And, while the task of Friendship she pursues,
Teach her to calm the rising plaints of Woe.

IV

Teach the fair mourner with thy lenient pow'r
To sooth Affection's tributary grief,
To cherish Reason each revolving hour,
And from her sacred precepts—snatch relief.

V

So shall thy influence, with spontaneous charms,
Like dawning Hope revive the drooping mind,
And, while returning Sorrow it disarms,
Teach weeping Virtue how to be resign'd.
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VI

What tho' stern Death, whose arbitrary call
The greatest monarchs o'er the globe obey,
Has robb'd Affection with a Brother's fall,
And summon'd Merit to the realms of day:

VII

Yet know, Fidelia, Wisdom's hallow'd page
Proves it the common lot of man below:
The young—the grave—the giddy—and the sage—
Alike must yield to Fate's decisive blow.

VIII

Tho' blooming Youth may promise many years,
Tho' rosy Health may crown the flatt'ring time,
Yet soon—ah, soon—relentless Death appears,
And nips the infant bud in earliest prime!
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IX

Still more precarious are Life's pleasing views,
When War's tumultuous broils pervade the land;
When Glory's call the eager Youth pursues,
To fix his fate at her inviting stand.

X

There, when assembled in the tented field,
Fir'd with Ambition for recorded fame,
Can genuine Honor tamely stoop to yield
The brightest sanction of a soldier's name?

XI

And tho' unjust the self-convicting cause
That lately crimson'd Boston's carnag'd plain,
Yet Duty, ceding to superior laws,
Conceal'd in Loyalty—the spreading stain.—
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XII

—Ah, fatal tendency of ill-tim'd Pow'r,
When lawless states engender'd civil woes,
When Harmony forsook her tranquil bow'r,
And War with savage prevalence arose!

XIII

Should haughty nations fire Britannia's rage,
And spurn her claim to Freedom's gen'ral laws,
With earnest zeal her heroes might engage,
And fall with glory—in their country's cause.

XIV

But can she see what discord has prevail'd,
What horrors mark'd that inauspicious day
When parent states their offspring's peace assail'd,
To force allegiance to despotic sway?
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XV

Can she behold a land—with plenty crown'd,
Unmov'd at Pity's self-approving sigh?
Can she behold her darling vot'ries round,
Mourning the wrongs of injur'd Liberty?

XVI

No!—Let the hireling cringe for mean applause,
And with soft flattery soothe the royal ear—
Britannia shudders at th'inglorious cause,
And shares with Freedom its lamenting tear.—

XVII

Forgive, Fidelia, these digressive lays;—
They breathe the dictates of an honest heart,
—A heart that scorns to proffer venal praise,
Or sully Truth—with Adulation's art.
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XVIII

That precious Liberty—bestow'd by Heav'n,
Still animates her sons in Freedom's cause,
And those to whom the god-like precept's giv'n,
May plead the strength of Nature's earliest laws.

XIX

—Be such the sanction of an humble Bard,
Untaught the depths of Science to explore;
Whose numbers, while they flow from pure regard,
Seek not on Fame's expanded wings to soar.

XX

Will then Fidelia—sooth'd with Friendship's balm,
Believe its essay cordially sincere,
Let genial Sympathy her bosom calm,
And for a moment check the falling tear?
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XXI

So shall its influence soften rising grief,
Assuage each tender, woe-expressive sigh,
Yield grateful Innocence some kind relief,
And wipe the starting drop from Sorrow's eye.

XXII

But should the well-meant tribute Friendship pays,
Instead of calming, wound with recent pain;
Should, while she pleads in unambitious lays,
Fair Sympathy exert her pow'rs in vain;

XXIII

Will not Religion's eloquence prevail?
From her mild precepts will not comfort beam?
—They teach us, sublunary Hope is frail,
And human Happiness—a transient dream.
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XXIV

They teach the virtuous, philosophic mind
To bear, unruffled, every frown of Fate;
In each vicissitude to be resign'd,
And hail Contentment in the lowliest state.

XXV

So may we learn, unaw'd by rising Fear,
Thro' stormy seas of adverse cares to roam;
No doubt at length our little bark to steer,
Exempt from perils, to its destin'd home.

XXVI

Virtue will flourish Heav'n's peculiar care;
And tho' Affliction cast her sable gloom,
'Twere impious to anticipate Despair,
Or mourn untimely our imperfect doom.
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XXVII

When sorrows croud—when woes unnumber'd spring,
—'Tis Providence approves the trial giv'n;
Then meek Humility her aid should bring,
And reconcile the troubled mind to Heav'n.

XXVIII

But when returning Hope (like morning rays,
That greet with welcome light the gladden'd earth)
A scene of dawning happiness displays,
And gives Content its joy-inspiring birth;

XXIX

No more let Grief provoke the silent tear,
No longer Misery its hard fate deplore,
The strain of Gratitude should flow sincere,
And bright'ning views Felicity restore.
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XXX

Then whilst, with Reason's philosophic rules,
Religion's more exalted pow'rs unite,
Let man, instructed in their sapient schools,
Resign'd, admit—Whatever is, is right.
FINIS.
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