10
"To him, the ever good, who gave us life,
"Admire the scenes which his all-bounteous hand
"Hath spread before us. Blessed be his name!"
"Admire the scenes which his all-bounteous hand
"Hath spread before us. Blessed be his name!"
"Yon village church, whose humble roof is seen
"Through the rich foliage of the trees around,
"Incloses, all the earth held dear to me,
"Save you,—the best of men, your sainted father;
"Be it ever yours to live as he has lived,
"To follow his example, and to trace
"His footsteps to eternal happiness.
"Oh, never will remembrance lose the sight
"Of those last looks, the sound of those last words,
"Which thus with faltering voice he gently breathe'
Father of mercy, to thy care I trust
"'My orphan children and my widowed wife!'
"He ceased—and, struggling with the pangs of death
"He looked—he clasped—I can no more—he Died!
"Through the rich foliage of the trees around,
"Incloses, all the earth held dear to me,
"Save you,—the best of men, your sainted father;
"Be it ever yours to live as he has lived,
"To follow his example, and to trace
"His footsteps to eternal happiness.
"Oh, never will remembrance lose the sight
"Of those last looks, the sound of those last words,
"Which thus with faltering voice he gently breathe'
Father of mercy, to thy care I trust
"'My orphan children and my widowed wife!'
"He ceased—and, struggling with the pangs of death
"He looked—he clasped—I can no more—he Died!
Here ceased the mourner, overwhelmed with tears
Of bitter grief. The children sobbed aloud,
And I, unconscious what I did, wept too,
Shedding fond tears of sympathizing sorrow.
Of bitter grief. The children sobbed aloud,
And I, unconscious what I did, wept too,
Shedding fond tears of sympathizing sorrow.
Long in this doleful reverie we remained,
Till roused at length as from a dream, we saw,
With wild astonishment, the azure sky,
But late so calm and beautifully clear,
O'ercast with clouds: the sunbeams had withdrawn,
And nature wore a face of gloominess,
Speaking, with signs of fear, a thunder-storm.
Till roused at length as from a dream, we saw,
With wild astonishment, the azure sky,
But late so calm and beautifully clear,
O'ercast with clouds: the sunbeams had withdrawn,
And nature wore a face of gloominess,
Speaking, with signs of fear, a thunder-storm.
