 | The Harvest |  |
15
ALBERT's CHARACTER.
By pious parents train'd from youth
To pure devotion, and to truth,
Albert the path of virtue trod,
The friend of man—the child of God.
His was not Fortune's golden store,—
She gave enough, though little more,
But in a lovely, virtuous wife,
Fair beam'd his pleasure-star of life.
Six comely babes to him she bore,
And happiness, but once before
That smil'd on earth, to Calder giv'n,
Seem'd to have left her native heav'n,
As if mistaking this serene
For sinless calm, for Eden's scene!
But ah, chang'd doom! the calm is done!
Woe-clouds o'ercast so bright a sun!
Like lily, nipp'd by bitter gales,
His Ellen dies—and Albert wails!
His little children, weeping round,
Would wake Mammā from slumber sound—
Alas! she hears not grief express'd—
Sees not her Albert's tortur'd breast,
That vainly strives to check the flow
Of deep, of unavailing woe!
The mournful sounds those echoes bore,
Which never heard a sigh before!
To pure devotion, and to truth,
Albert the path of virtue trod,
The friend of man—the child of God.
His was not Fortune's golden store,—
She gave enough, though little more,
But in a lovely, virtuous wife,
Fair beam'd his pleasure-star of life.
Six comely babes to him she bore,
And happiness, but once before
That smil'd on earth, to Calder giv'n,
Seem'd to have left her native heav'n,
As if mistaking this serene
For sinless calm, for Eden's scene!
But ah, chang'd doom! the calm is done!
Woe-clouds o'ercast so bright a sun!
Like lily, nipp'd by bitter gales,
His Ellen dies—and Albert wails!
His little children, weeping round,
Would wake Mammā from slumber sound—
Alas! she hears not grief express'd—
Sees not her Albert's tortur'd breast,
That vainly strives to check the flow
Of deep, of unavailing woe!
16
Which never heard a sigh before!
Celestial friend! Religion, hail!
Delightful cheerer of the vale!
When fate's deep-black'ning tempests howl,
'Tis thou alone canst calm the soul!
When chill'd with anguish and dismay,
We watch the ling'ring life away,
'Tis thine to show the blissful shore
Where friends shall meet to part no more!
Delightful cheerer of the vale!
When fate's deep-black'ning tempests howl,
'Tis thou alone canst calm the soul!
When chill'd with anguish and dismay,
We watch the ling'ring life away,
'Tis thine to show the blissful shore
Where friends shall meet to part no more!
Time and Religion's aid at last
Their veil expanded o'er the past.
Less keen was felt the bosom-throe,
And ceas'd the frequent tear to flow.
A sister, long to him endear'd,
With pious care his children rear'd!
Domestic happiness serene,
Began once more to gild the scene;
And cheerfulness, with smiling face,
To reign the mistress of the place.
Their veil expanded o'er the past.
Less keen was felt the bosom-throe,
And ceas'd the frequent tear to flow.
A sister, long to him endear'd,
With pious care his children rear'd!
Domestic happiness serene,
Began once more to gild the scene;
And cheerfulness, with smiling face,
To reign the mistress of the place.
Such Albert was; free, kind, sedate,
The good man's boast, the tyrant's hate,
Beloved by all within his land,
The Master of the reaper band.
The good man's boast, the tyrant's hate,
Beloved by all within his land,
The Master of the reaper band.
| The Harvest | |