Poems (Sewell)/To the Memory of Mrs. Colberg
MRS. ELIZABETH COLBERG.1798.
TO THE
MEMORY OF MY FRIEND,
While filial tenderness, with grief sincere,
Pours o'er her last remains the honour'd tear,
While Love connubial, heaves the heartfelt groan,
And claims from Pity's lute her softest tone;
One faithful tribute, o'er the silent earth,
Shall Friendship pay to Patience and to Worth!—
Oh gentle friend! from Myra dost thou claim
This humble off'ring to thy modest fame.
Oft hast thou check'd invading Sorrow's course,
And sooth'd the troubled mind with sweet discourse:
Thy native truth, thy virtues well she knew,
And rooted on Esteem, Affection grew!
In glowing numbers, plaintive wou'd she tell
Of native excellence, belov'd so well.
But oh! how vain—in various scenes of life,
To paint the Friend unchang'd—the faithful Wife!
The tender Parent too—whose pious care
Rear'd the young plant, a nobler soil to share,
And trembling taught the infant heart to bow
To that Almighty Power, which guards it now!
Still may it own Him—merciful and just!
The Mother's treasure, and the mourner's trust!
Pours o'er her last remains the honour'd tear,
While Love connubial, heaves the heartfelt groan,
And claims from Pity's lute her softest tone;
One faithful tribute, o'er the silent earth,
Shall Friendship pay to Patience and to Worth!—
Oh gentle friend! from Myra dost thou claim
This humble off'ring to thy modest fame.
Oft hast thou check'd invading Sorrow's course,
And sooth'd the troubled mind with sweet discourse:
Thy native truth, thy virtues well she knew,
And rooted on Esteem, Affection grew!
In glowing numbers, plaintive wou'd she tell
Of native excellence, belov'd so well.
But oh! how vain—in various scenes of life,
To paint the Friend unchang'd—the faithful Wife!
The tender Parent too—whose pious care
Rear'd the young plant, a nobler soil to share,
And trembling taught the infant heart to bow
To that Almighty Power, which guards it now!
Still may it own Him—merciful and just!
The Mother's treasure, and the mourner's trust!
Thy virtuous resignation—gentle Saint!
Thy silent suff'ring hours, without complaint;
And ev'ry deed that Charity inspir'd,
Its ardent zeal, its sympathy untir'd!
Its soothing welcome, and its gen'rous sighs,
The pray'r which rais'd thy spirit to the skies,
From righteous Heaven was surely meant to prove
A nobler recompence than human love!
Thy silent suff'ring hours, without complaint;
And ev'ry deed that Charity inspir'd,
Its ardent zeal, its sympathy untir'd!
Its soothing welcome, and its gen'rous sighs,
The pray'r which rais'd thy spirit to the skies,
From righteous Heaven was surely meant to prove
A nobler recompence than human love!
When anguish, with a ling'ring, slow decay,
Consum'd the feeble springs of life away,
While filial sorrow watch'd the fainting breath,
And trembling, linger'd round the bed of death;
Wherefore in silence was the pang suppress'd?
Bat Faith engrav'd its promise on thy breast!
And even thro' anguish—thro' the shades of night,
There beam'd the splendour of the Christian light!—
Oh! may we all enjoy that ray divine,
And meet our sentence with a Hope like thine.
Consum'd the feeble springs of life away,
While filial sorrow watch'd the fainting breath,
And trembling, linger'd round the bed of death;
Wherefore in silence was the pang suppress'd?
Bat Faith engrav'd its promise on thy breast!
And even thro' anguish—thro' the shades of night,
There beam'd the splendour of the Christian light!—
Oh! may we all enjoy that ray divine,
And meet our sentence with a Hope like thine.