Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1840/L’Envoi
L’ENVOI.
Farewell, farewell! Thy latest word is spoken:
The lute thou lovedst hath given its latest tone;
Yet not without a lingering, parting token
Hast thou gone from us, young and gifted one!
And what in love thou gavest, here we treasure,
Sweet words of song penned in those far-off wilds,
And pure and righteous thoughts, in lofty measure,
Strong as a patriot's, gentle as a child's.
Here shrine we them, like holy relics keeping,
That they who loved thee may approach and read;
May know thy latest thoughts; may joy in weeping
That thou wast worthy to be loved indeed!
Farewell, farewell! And as thy heart could cherish
For love, a flower, the sere leaf of a tree,—
So from these pages shall not lightly perish
Thy latest lays—memento flowers of thee!
M. H.