THE
CONSOLING INFLUENCE
OF
RELIGION
IN VARIOUS TRIALS OF LIFE.

IN human life the ever changing scene
Not long continues tranquil and serene;
Man's fairest prospects oft by clouds are crost,
And oft by error's mists obscur'd and lost;
For tho' prosperity may fill his sails,
And fortune fan them with her fav'ring gales,
In vain shall grandeur and luxurious ease,
Offspring of wealth, combine their pow'rs to please;
In vain shall honours, pomp, and splendid state,
Greet him at home, and all his steps await;
In vain shall ev'ry year his stores increase,
If here alone, he rest his hopes of peace.

---

Page 2

The softest gale, the lightest breeze that blows,
May shake the fabric where those hopes repose;
And they, dismay'd by threat'ning danger near,
Fly at the first approach of trembling fear.

None ever pass'd through life, without their share
Of poignant anguish, or corroding care;
This penalty, from ev'ry child of clay
Justice demands, and sinful man must pay.

Is then the destiny of man severe?
Involv'd in clouds of danger, doubt, and fear;
Through which appears no kind directing ray,
To light the weary wand'rer on his way?
Is he condemn'd the rugged road to tread,
With nought to guide his feet, or guard his head,
Tho' hidden snares in slipp'ry paths abound,
And persecution's arrows fly around!
Is there no rock on which he can rely?—
Pause, O my soul!—nor lightly frame reply;
Pause, and the page of fate attentive scan,
Observe, with wonder, the stupendous plan

---

Page 3

Of universal government,—there trace
Impartial justice tow'rds the human race,
And learn, that as from suffering none are free,
So none are doom'd to hopeless misery.

When man's presumptuous folly had debas'd
That perfect state in which he first was plac'd,
Insulted Majesty, to anger slow,
Temper'd the weight of the avenging blow;
When, at the presence of his God afraid,
The guilty mortal from his Maker fled,
Compassion soften'd the just wrath of Heaven,
And promise of Redemption then was given;
This blest assurance of redeeming grace
Was oft renew'd to his degen'rate race;
And Faith and Hope were pow'rful to assuage
The heaviest ills in each succeeding age.
Strengthen'd by these, our fathers nobly rose
Above the influence of earthly woes;
Belief of future bliss dispell'd each pain,
Their trust was high, nor was that trust in vain.

---

Page 4

God, who in sundry ways, in sundry climes,
Spoke by his Prophets' voice,—in later times
Hath, by a more than Prophet's voice, reveal'd
The blessed covenant His love hath seal'd.
Those who in darkness sat, now see the light,
The day-spring from on high, dawns on their sight,
The Son of God himself! descends to save,
And Mercy heals the wounds which Justice gave.

Art thou, O man! from day to day opprest
By cares that wound to agony thy breast?
Doth fortune frown? do friends forsake thy side?
Art thou by sickness and by sorrow tried?
Whate'er thy griefs, whate'er thy suff'rings be,
Look up, for hope is given, e'en to thee.
Trim thou her lamp at pure Devotion's shrine,
'Twill o'er thy path in mild effulgence shine;
And, like the Star of Beth'lem lead thee straight
To Him from whom all blessings emanate.

What tho' through devious wilds thy footsteps stray,
Where tempting Vice plants danger in the way,

---

Page 5

Be not dismay'd; let patience nerve thy soul,
And resignation ev'ry ill controul.
He, who the desert path before thee trod,
Knows all the toils and dangers of the road,
Nor will he once thy righteous pray'r disdain,
Nor let thy pleading voice be rais'd in vain.
His mighty arm, thy failing strength shall aid;
His guiding hand, conduct thee through the shade;
His Holy Word, thy troubled spirit calm,
And pour on all thy wounds a healing balm.

Believest thou these things above thy reach?
O! come with me, and let experience teach;
Of all the crowds that daily meet thine eye,
What numbers might with thee in suff'ring vie!

Observe yon lovely girl! whose pallid cheek,
And mourning garb, of recent sorrow speak;
On her fair brow sad shades of thought appear,
And silently proclaim her lot severe;
Yet fortitude through deep affliction gleams,
And from her eye with placid lustre beams;

---

Page 6

Attend, while I unfold her tale of grief,
And tell thee where she sought and found relief.

In ease and splendour nurs'd, to affluence born,
In glowing radiance rose her life's fair morn;
Health strew'd with fairy flow'rs her infant bed,
And her young cheek with roseate bloom o'erspread;
Smoothly the years of childhood roll'd away,
In varied study and alternate play;
Oft to a fond maternal bosom prest,
Or clasp'd in rapture to a father's breast,
The only tears that yet had dimm'd her eye,
Flow'd from the sacred springs of sympathy;
The only sighs that yet had thrill'd her heart,
Were breath'd by pity for another's smart;
And these were pleasing pains, whose gentle sway
Could ever to her artless breast convey
A sweet and holy feeling, too refin'd
To be the tenant of a selfish mind;
A bliss, Benevolence can best bestow,
And only Charity's warm vot'ries know.

---

Page 7

Such was Louisa, such the joys, which fate
With smiles ordain'd upon her youth to wait:
Lov'd by her friends, in favour with her God,
Blameless the prosp'rous path of life she trod:
This dangerous temptation well sustain'd,
Affliction's rougher trial yet remain'd;
And Time, with silent but too rapid flight,
Soon pass'd the bow'rs of ever gay delight,
Where once the innocent and happy maid,
Without a fear of future ill, had stray'd.

He, most rever'd on earth, whose fost'ring hand
Had rear'd her charms, scarce saw those charms expand,
And mark'd the promise of her earliest prime,
(Which spoke of future worth,) matured by time;
When, summon'd by the sudden voice of fate,
From the fair scenes he lov'd to contemplate,
His happy soul to heav'n exulting flew,
And bade this world, its joys and pains, adieu.

What then the anguish of that filial mind,
Whose very life, with his seem'd intertwin'd?

---

Page 8

The first dread shock unnerv'd her trembling frame,
And dumb despair each faculty o'ercame;
Severe and long, the struggle that ensued,
'Twixt human frailty and high fortitude;
Now, vain regret, and pining care prevail;
Now, resignation turns the wav'ring scale;
Oft in low murmurs plaintive nature pleads,
But duty interferes, and Faith succeeds.

Of one most dear parental guide bereft,
Still, one who claim'd her tend'rest love was left;
Her cares to lighten, and her griefs to calm,
Were sorrow's best resources, and its balm;
How dear the task, with gently soothing art,
To ease a widowed mother's anxious heart!
How great the rapture when that mother smil'd,
And bless'd the efforts of her duteous child!

The same sad stroke that left her fatherless,
Had greatly circumscrib'd her pow'r to bless;
But not at this, her noble heart repin'd,
She knew, that Heav'n accepts the willing mind;

---

Page 9

And, while her hand, still ready to relieve,
Bestowed the little all she had to give,
She felt how doubly sweet is feeling's glow,
When bounty's streams from self-denial flow;
And inly pray'd, that should she ever share,
Want more extreme, or pangs of keener care,
She might, in all her need, on Him rely,
Who hears the widows' and the orphans' cry.

Prophetic was the pray'r! e'en while it rose,
Unsparing Death a fatal garland chose;
Which, to consumption's ling'ring hand consign'd,
Around the victim's brow was slowly twin'd;
And who that victim?—an emphatic sigh,
Conveys the orphan'd mourner's sad reply;
Its silent language tells thee that her state
On earth, is lonely now, and desolate:
It tells thee too, of hours not long gone by,
Hours fraught with deep and heartfelt agony,
When anxious tenderness that never slept,
By night, by day, its watch unwearied kept,

---

Page 10

Beside the couch where a lov'd parent lay,
Resign'd in suffering, patient midst decay.

Oh! there are moments, when the human mind
Labours with feelings not to be defin'd;
When earth-born fear with heav'nly hope contends,
And doubtful victory the palm suspends;
When reason trembles in the mighty strife,
And the vast struggle shakes the springs of life.

Tell me, ye sceptics, by what mortal aid,
In such an hour, shall human strength be stay'd?
What mortal pow'r shall calm the ruffled soul,
Or o'er the passions exercise controul?

One only hand, one only voice there is,
Can quell the fury of a storm like this;
That hand sustained affection's drooping head,
When bending o'er a dying parent's bed;
That voice spoke comfort in the orphan's ear,
Who wept in anguish o'er a mother's bier;

---

Page 11

And these, when fortune's last faint smile had flown,
And poverty with hasty strides came on,
These dried each tear, suppress'd each rising sigh,
Nerv'd her young heart, and fix'd her hopes on high.

'Twas not, that strength alone, was then supplied,
And ev'ry gentler, softer gift denied;
No; feelings deep and keen, liv'd in that mind,
Meekness and tenderness were there enshrin'd;
And when with falt'ring step Louisa stray'd,
To take a long last leave of grove and glade,
Her early haunts—how did remembrance swell
The tide of grief that flow'd in that farewell!

To her those haunts were sacred,—not a tree,
Nor plant, nor bud, nor blossom, did she see,
But call'd to mind some scene of other days,
When not in joyless, solitary gaze,
She mark'd its beauties—but those days were gone,
And she was left unfriended, and alone.
Sigh answer'd sigh responsive in her breast,
As (half unconscious of the path she prest),

---

Page 12

She hurried on, where mem'ry led the way,
A weeping tribute of regret to pay.

Close on the borders of a circling wood,
That over-look'd her native lawn, there stood
Commanding varied prospects, a retreat,
Which once had been contentment's fav'rite seat;
No labour'd work of art adorn'd the grot;
Simplicity was genius of the spot;
The sweet Clematis there its tendrils spread,
And formed a fragrant covert o'er the head;
Roses in wild profusion bloomed around,
And flowers of various hues enriched the ground;
Within, a rustic bench of wicker frame,
Hailed the tired wand'rer, and the place became.
From thence the eye, delighted might explore,
The woodland hill beyond the village moor,
The verdant cornfields and heath cover'd down,
The glittering turrets of the distant town,
(Whose noisy hum scarce reach'd the list'ning ear,
And made the peaceful arbour doubly dear;)

---

Page 13

And nearer home the paddocks ample bound,
Where mingled herds in safety fed around.

With saddest thoughts of grief and tenderness,
The poor Louisa sought this calm recess;
In breathless silence, and with rayless eye,
She gaz'd upon the well-known scenery;
And fleeting shades of joys, for ever lost,
Dimly before her aching vision crost.

Her father's taste had rear'd this summer bow'r,
Her mother's hand had train'd the creeping flow'r;
And in this spot, she learn'd from lips endear'd,
The precious precepts which her heart rever'd;
Here, when a child by her lov'd father's side,
With mimic art her garden tools she plied;
While he, intent upon a nobler toil,
Planted instruction in the tender soil
Of her young mind, there nourish'd virtue's root,
"Taught the half form'd idea how to shoot;"
Prun'd the wild branches, pluck'd the idle weeds,
And strew'd with gentle hand fair wisdom's seeds.

---

Page 14

Here, too, enraptur'd she had often hung,
On the soft music of that gentle tongue,
Now hush'd in death—and, oft as day declin'd,
Their grateful voices in sweet concert join'd,
To celebrate His praise, whose guardian sway,
Had, with unnumber'd blessings crown'd the day.

Lives there a heart, can quit without a sigh,
The haunts of youth, the home of infancy?
With ling'ring step each long lov'd scene explore,
Aware that it must linger there no more:
From native streams, from shades familiar, sever,
Leave them, and know it leaves them too, for ever;
And, in that parting hour, shall mem'ry sleep?
Or waking—say—can she forbear to weep?
Ah, no; remembrance still must drop the tear,
Still sigh, o'er pleasures past, but ever dear;
And, if she murmur not, who would repress,
Or who shall blame, that burst of tenderness?

Louisa wept, but wept not unresign'd;
There was a source of solace in her mind,

---

Page 15

That look'd beyond this world for its supply;
'Twas pure, and inexhaustible, and high;
In happier days she own'd and blest its pow'r,
And now it sooth'd her in affliction's hour;
A wide and dreary waste before her lay,
She saw, she felt, the dangers of the way;
The creature sigh'd—the Christian acquiesc'd,
And both repos'd upon a Saviour's breast;
Unshaken trusted in his promis'd aid,
And thus to Heav'n, with humble fervour, pray'd.

"Oh, thou! Almighty! whose creative hand,
"The wond'rous structure of my being plann'd;
"Gave me the noble faculty of thought,
"And into life the powers of reason brought;
"Thou! who didst guard my fragile infant frame,
"And kept it safe, till youthful vigour came;
"Oh! let me still thy watchful kindness share,
"And still rejoice in thy paternal care.
"Thou art my only hope, my only stay,
"My God! my Guide! oh cast me not away.

---

Page 16

"Encompass'd round with snares, beset by sin,
"And tempted from without and from within,
"Trembling, to Thee I turn—vouchsafe to give
"Some speedy succour, and my soul shall live.
"Through countless dangers, thy almighty arm
"Full oft hath brought me forth, secure from harm;
"And, still my soul, confiding in thy pow'r,
"Shall look to Thee in ev'ry trying hour.
"Thy Holy Will be done—to that I bow,
"Thou knowest what is right, and only Thou."

O! blessed and exalted privilege!
The precious boon of heav'n! the sacred pledge
Of man's communion with a world above,
Of his redemption, and his Maker's love!
Devotion's hand-maid! spirit-soothing pray'r!
'Tis thine to cherish hope and crush despair;
When brightly shines the sun of prosp'rous days,
'Tis thine to temper the too ardent blaze;
And, when the clouds of adverse fortune low'r,
'Tis thine to counteract their baleful pow'r;

---

Page 17

The faint to raise, the pensive soul to cheer,
To wipe from sorrow's eye the trembling tear,
To take from mortal care its sombre hue,
And place immortal happiness in view.

When the poor hapless orphan weeping sought
In thee a refuge from distracting thought,
Thy sweet consoling voice compos'd her breast.
And each tumultuous passion lull'd to rest.
Celestial Peace on noiseless pinions came,
And gently breath'd upon her languid frame;
O'er her suspended innocency's shield,
And, unperceiv'd, her humid eye-lids seal'd;
Then, in soft-whisper'd visions, sooth'd the fair,
Who slept beneath high heav'n's peculiar care.

And now behold her in dependance placed,
Denied the social joys of life to taste,
Without one earthly friend her steps to guide,
With danger ever lurking at her side;
The present hour by want and woe assail'd,
The future by dense clouds and darkness veil'd;

---

Page 18

Yet still upheld by heav'n's supporting hand,
Unmov'd, unmurmuring, behold her stand.
Faith speaks,—and sorrow's gloomy vision flies—
Her hopes expand, and soaring reach the skies;
Thence they look down upon the scenes of earth,
Life's fleeting ills, and joys of little worth;
Smile at delusions of a transient date,
And turn,—unchanging truth to contemplate.

Extending through interminable space,
Yet dimly seen, futurity we trace;
There, Revelation shining from above,
Displays the mansions of eternal love;
Whence, He whose blood for guilty man aton'd,
At the right hand of God the Father thron'd,
Dispenses wide the riches of his grace,
Through boundless regions, to the human race;
Myriads of happy spirits wait His will,
Perform his pleasure, and his word fulfil;
Their high commission with delight they bear,
Unseen, unheard, they tread the silent air,

---

Page 19

And wheresoever pain or grief is found,
As messengers of comfort hover round.

"Transporting thought! and can it be, that I
"Shall one day join that blessed company?
"And do I yet, perhaps! by day and night,
"Live in my dear lamented parents' sight?
"And shall I then lament them?—Ah! no, no;—
"My sighs shall cease—my tears no longer flow—
"Oh! 'twould be worse than impious to repine,
"When rapture, great as their's, will soon be mine."

Thus speaks the orphan, as the guiding ray
Of Faith illumes her solitary way.
The merit of her Saviour's sufferings,
Home to her soul the sweet conviction brings,
That her salvation is through them ensur'd,
And happiness in heav'n for her secur'd.
And, as she presses on, her stedfast eye,
Unswerving, fix'd immovably on high,
Through this life's mystic bound'ry penetrates.
And mercy at its fountain contemplates.

---

Page 20

Oh, ye! of fortune's ample gifts possest,
Who in the midst of blessings, pine unblest,
On whose pale cheek, (pale with habitual spleen,)
The semblance of a smile is rarely seen;
(As if 'twere treason to humanity,
That aught of bliss should beam from mortal eye,)
Who, ever peevish, are for ever prone,
To rail at others, when the fault's your own;
If, haply, ye should hear Louisa's tale,
Blush for yourselves, nor let the lesson fail.

And thou, too, startl'd suff'rer, who perchance,
Art newly rous'd from some delusive trance,
Where ardent fancy glowingly pourtray'd
Visions of joy which now in darkness fade;
Let not that darkness daunt thee,—feebler frame
Than thine, by faith, worse peril overcame.
And shall weak woman win the heav'nly prize,
While lordly man a vanquish'd victim lies?
Oh! rather let his firmness stimulate
Her strength,—her hopes, when falt'ring, animate.

---

Page 21

For him created, and by heav'n design'd,
From him to borrow energy of mind;
Shame 'twere, that she should singly struggle on,
And reach at last the blessed goal alone;
While he, ere half the race be run, despairs,
And sinks beneath the burthen of his cares.

But who is she with sweetly pensive mien,
And aspect melancholy, yet serene?
Often when she imagines none are nigh,
The gath'ring sorrow glistens in her eye,
And, half supprest, she breathes a tender sigh!

'Tis the young Laura, who, in yonder grove,
Heard and believ'd the tale of Damon's love;
Fortune had promis'd her an ample store,
The fickle goddess frown'd, and love was o'er;
For Damon left the fond and faithful maid,
And to a wealthier fair his homage paid.
Mark on her cheek the faint and varying blush!
It comes with thoughts that o'er her mem'ry rush;

---

Page 22

Transient as indistinct, 'tis soon gone by,
And light expressive, kindles in her eye;
Bending above her harp, she tries again,
With melting voice, the long neglected strain:
Mem'ry begins,—devotion marks its close,
And thus in tender gravity it flows:

    "Hast thou forgot the tender vow,
        "Once fondly breath'd by thee;
    "That heav'n itself, to change should bow,
        "Ere thou wouldst change to me?

    "Too well, thou false one, dost thou prove,
        "What gain'd the vow thus given;
    "Twas fortune only won thy love,
        "Her smile to thee was heaven.

    "That heav'n may never smile again,
        "But there's a place on high,
    "Where truth and love for ever reign.
        "And thither will I fly.

---

Page 23

    "My soul, with higher hopes inspir'd,
        "Disdains its earthly load;
    "And, with a pure ambition fir'd,
        "Devotes itself to God."

Music is ever soothing;—when combin'd
With passion pure, and sentiment refin'd,
It cheers, exalts, and dignifies the mind;
Devotion, then, is rapture; and the soul
Heeds not the tempests that around her roll;
But soaring upward to her native sky,
Feels a sweet foretaste of that harmony,
Which shall be her's through all eternity.

Go ask the tender maid, whose plaintive lay
Yet vibrates on thine ear,—what chased away
From her mild brow, the murky cloud of care,
And plac'd the seal of resignation there?
She answers, "Humble hope, implicit trust,
"Conviction that the ways of God are just,
"And joyful expectation of that day,
"When the Redeemer's hand shall wipe away

---

Page 24

"The tear of frailty from the Christian's cheek,
"And to his servants give the rest they seek."

Here then, the wearied pilgrim may repose,
Here loose the weighty burden of his woes;
And here, supported by the promise given,
Rest his tired soul, and plume her wing for Heaven.
If any doubt—let him approach that door,
Gaze on the scene within, and doubt no more.

It is the last—the solemn—awful hour—
When death—all-conqu'ring death—exerts his pow'r—
Too truly aim'd, the tyrant's shaft hath sped,
And lo! the fated victim droops his head.
'Tis not the infant bud, that with'ring lies,
Nor the time-stricken, sapless tree, that dies;
Though not unfelt the pang, when these depart,
There is a deeper suffering of the heart;
When the dear, tender husband, father, friend,
On whom a helpless family depend,
Feels the full prime of manly strength decay,
And early mingles with his kindred clay.

---

Page 25

Observe, where round his bed, in mute distress,
Stand the dear objects of his tenderness;
In such an hour, when every bosom bleeds,
What unseen hand the lamp of comfort feeds?
'Tis wrapt in mystery—
                                But, the Priest draws nigh,
Devotion beaming from his heav'n-ward eye;
The sacred cup of blessing, see! he gives,
With feeble grasp the dying man receives;
'Tis mercy's healing fount, and mercy's voice
Whispers, "Drink this, be thankful, and rejoice;
"Remember Him, whose blood hath made thee free,
"And He in heav'n, will then remember thee."

He hears, and he obeys—his lip hath prest
The hallow'd brim—rest—holy, heavenly rest,
Pervades his soul—and on his placid brow,
A more than mortal light is seen to glow;
Earth and her shadows, slowly sink in night,
And day eternal, dawns upon his sight.
With lifted hands, and upward, grateful gaze,
Awhile in silent eloquence he prays;

---

Page 26

Then, strengthen'd by the holy exercise,
Summons life's last remaining energies,
To bless his wife and children ere he dies.
Anxious for them, e'en in the arms of death,
He breathes affection with his latest breath.

"I leave ye, dear ones," thus his accents flow,
"To realms of everlasting bliss I go;—
"We part—but part not, ne'er to meet again—
("That thought indeed, were agony of pain,)
"Then do not weep—you are not left alone—
"Look up with hope, to heav'ns eternal throne—
"And He, who reigns in radiant glory there,
"Will guard you with a father's tender care;
"And though on seas of danger ye are cast,
"Yet faith shall stem the tide, and brave the blast;
"Let the winds whistle, and the ocean roar,
"Your bark shall safely reach th' immortal shore;
"For, whilst directing virtue guides the helm,
"Destruction's wave shall ne'er the vessl 'whelm.

"For me—the port e'en now appears in view,
"And I rejoice,—yet still I feel for you.

---

Page 27

"Oh! may th' Eternal and Almighty Lord,
"Dry up your tears, and heav'nly aid afford!
"May He preserve you from life's specious snares,
"And give you comfort under all its cares!"

He sinks exhausted—but with tender beams,
Affection from his half-clos'd eye, still gleams:
And faintly still, his quiv'ring lips essay,
One last, fond, fervent, blessing to convey.
It may not be—life's utmost verge is near—
Already, heav'ns boundaries appear—
Nature gives up the contest—and he lies—
Breathing out life, in short convulsive sighs.
That transitory struggle!—'twas his last.
Ask you, if then a Christian's spirit past?
Reflect—and tell me ere I make reply,
Who but a Christian could thus calmly die?

But where are they who sorrowing survive?
With mortal griefs, with mortal cares to strive?
Those silent mourners whom so late we saw,
Bend o'er the suff'rer's couch in breathless awe,

---

Page 28

Where are they now?——Let tender pity pause;
And motion silence, as the veil she draws.
Look not on Nature's frailties,—they should be
For ever screen'd from idle scrutiny.
Sacred the tear—(and freely let it flow)
That soothes the first sad hours of heartfelt woe;
Jesus himself hath wept—and that alone,
Would plead its pardon, if it needed one.
Then ask no farther,—tis enough to learn,
The heart may blameless sigh o'er virtue's urn;
Blameless may mem'ry weep a little while,
But soon by conscience cheer'd she'll sweetly smile;
And looking backward, over years well spent,
See Hope advancing, as from heaven sent,
To smooth the dangers of her dreary road,
And point the way to a more blest abode.

And thou, my soul! while hopes like these, sustain
Thy strength, rise thou triumphant over pain:
Let not the clouds of doubt thine ardour damp,
But turn to Revelation's sacred lamp;

---

Page 29

Think on the insults, the indignity,
Which spotless innocence endur'd for thee,
And think on thine own sins, nor dare repine,
At that light chastisement to justly thine.

Thy way through peril, p'rhaps, through mis'ry lies,
But, thou art struggling for a heav'nly prize;
And, though the race be long, the vict'ry hard,
Oh faint not! droop not! lose not thy reward!
Throughout thy destin'd course keep Hope in view,
And at the fount of grace for mercy sue;
Thou shalt not sue in vain; that God, who gave
Himself to die for thee, delights to save.
He—He will succour thee, and hear thy cry;
To them that seek him he is ever nigh.

Then rise, my soul! triumphantly arise!
Remember thy relation with the skies!
Remember too, and tremble at the thought,
At what a precious price thy life is bought;
Each grov'ling wish, each passion wild, restrain,
Lest thou thy Saviour crucify again.

---

Page 30

Know, in thy lapses, and in thy misdeeds,
Again He suffers, and again He bleeds.

Be firm, then, rise superior to thy lot;
And bear thy cross with patience, and fear not.
If, when here tried, thou art not wanting found,
Hereafter, thou'lt in happiness abound:
Thy God will smile, and thy Redeemer's love,
Will open to thee the blest gates above;
Scenes of eternal bliss will greet thy view,
And life be everlasting—ever new!

---

Page 31

A MIDNIGHT REFLECTION IN SICKNESS.

        O Lord! while on the bed of pain,
            I restlessly recline,
        At what thy wisdom doth ordain,
            O! let me not repine!

        If the Redeemer of our race,
            The highest heav'n forsook,
        To bear the penance and disgrace
            Of crimes he ne'er partook;

        If, while he sojourn'd here below,
            The Great, Immortal Lord,
        Unmurm'ring bore the load of woe,
            Which mortal sins incurr'd:

        Shall I, a wretch in guilt array'd,
            Th' all-righteous Judge accuse?
        Shall I, who oft have disobey'd,
            The punishment refuse?

---

Page 32

        No;—rather let me meekly bow,
            And bless the Lord of Heaven,
        Whose mercy long withheld the blow
            His justice would have given.

        He gently chastens those He loves,
            And, with a father's care,
        The rod their disobedience moves,
            He gives them strength to bear.

        Lord! I confess my heinous guilt,
            Thy pardon I implore;
        That mercy, I so oft have felt,
            Extend to me once more.

        The promise of thy blessed Son
            Forbids me to despair;
        Through Him, Salvation may be won,
            By penitence and pray'r.

        Give me, O Lord! a contrite heart,
            My errors past forgive;
        And, when from earthly scenes I part,
            Do Thou my soul receive.

---

Page 33

ON THE DEATH
OF
THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES.

From the pervading gloom that round thee lies,
On Contemplation's wing, my soul arise!
Mark yon proud city! at whose silent gate
Sits wounded Hope, amaz'd and desolate;
While, from her spacious streets and tow'ring walls,
The voice of Lamentation sadly calls.
Survey her royal palaces! and see
How low their grandeur lies in misery.

Thence turn thy flight, and seek the rural plain,
Where mirth and cheerfulness were wont to reign;
In ev'ry shade the voice of joy is mute,
And grief is there as pleasure's substitute.
What means the change?
                    Alas! too well I know;
Too deeply I partake the public woe.
She, whose sweet taste embellished ev'ry scene,
Whom England honour'd as her future Queen,

---

Page 34

Whose early loss Britannia must deplore,
Her sun is set—on earth to rise no more.
Torn from her family, and nation's love,
She's wafted to a better world above.

Princes and people mourn alike the doom
That gives so fair a blossom to the tomb;
Opposing parties drop the gen'ral tear,
And quench the torch of discord o'er her bier;
In festive halls, where glitt'ring lights have been,
The pale, funereal lamp, alone is seen;
And, where the joyous strain was wont to swell,
Falls the deep murmur of the solemn knell.
The sound, that vibrates on the ocean gale,
Conveys to distant lands the heavy tale,
And strikes upon an exil'd Mother's soul,
With bitterness of grief that mocks controul.
Long cherish'd hopes, anticipated joys,
Whole years of solace, one short hour destroys.
With sudden force, the dread intelligence
Locks up each faculty, and ev'ry sense:

---

Page 35

Life stagnates—and Death only stays his hand,
To leave her friendless in a foreign land.
Unhappy destiny! that parts her now
From him, whose hand should wipe the tears that flow.

He, too, in loneliness of sorrow, weeps;
And pours the frequent sigh for her who sleeps.
In silent anguish, o'er her lov'd remains
He bends,—and scarce his noble soul sustains
The stroke severe—she who so oft beguil'd
His anxious hours—his dear, and only child,
In death's embrace is laid—can greater woe
Be felt by mortal sojourner below?

O! if there can, sure it is felt by him
Whose cup, affliction charges to the brim;
Who, to a much lov'd husband's tender claim,
Had hop'd to add a parent's honour'd name;
But sees that hope, so long indulg'd, now crost,
And mourns his consort—and his infant lost.

---

Page 36

The home which love to both had render'd dear,
Now seems to him, a spot forlorn and drear;
Depriv'd of her, who lent it ev'ry charm,
No admiration can his bosom warm;
In vain he seeks to soothe his troubled mind;
No comfort can the widow'd mourner find;
But, while with folded arms, and drooping head,
He dimly gazes on the lovely dead,
As he endeavours to suppress the tear,
Religion seems to whisper in his ear:

"Tho' cold the form, so dear to thy fond breast,
"And stiff the hand, which thine so lately prest;
"O! yet despair not! for, when thou shalt die,
"Thou'lt meet thy now lamented bride on high.
"Let not the mem'ry of her virtues sleep,
"But warm within thine heart the treasure keep;
"And it shall teach thee, how thou may'st obtain,
"A blest exemption from eternal pain.

"Be thou, as she was, charitably good,
"Supply the hungry and distress'd with food;

---

Page 37

"Relieve the wretched, hush the plaint of woe;
"O'er shiv'ring want, the garb of comfort throw;
"To helpless youth, thy kindly aid extend;
"And prove to hoary age a gen'rous friend.
"Do this: and fear not—He who reigns above,
"Will then behold thee with approving love;
"And, in his own good time, he will translate
"Thy happy soul, to that most perfect state,
"From which thy sainted Charlotte now looks down,
"And beckons thee to come and share her crown."

---

Page 38

TO THE MEMORY
OF
MY BELOVED AND LAMENTED SISTER EMILY,
Who expired in my Arms 16th April, 1818.
WRITTEN A FEW HOURS AFTER HER DECEASE.

Rest, cherub Babe! rest in thy peaceful tomb!
Nor will we living, mourn thy early doom;
For, tho' the tear of fond regret must flow,
And tho' we deeply feel the parting throe,
Yet, Resignation shall her aid employ,
To blend our tears of grief, with tears of joy;
Shall teach us to revere the heav'nly hand,
That bade thee blossom in a fairer land,
Remov'd thee far, from this life's rude alarms,
And safely shelter'd thee from all its storms.

But ah! fond mem'ry, why in fancy's view
Dost thou the scenes of former joys renew?
Why dost thou place before our tear-fill'd eyes,
The infant beauties we were wont to prize?
Why dost thou dwell on each endearing grace,
That shone in ev'ry feature of her face?

---

Page 39

Oh! cease thy tender task, tho' urg'd by love,
And lead our thoughts to her blest state above;
Teach us our loss with fortitude to bear,
And so prepare ourselves to meet her there,
That no remorse may cloud our hour of death,
That we may cheerfully resign our breath;
Assur'd that all a righteous Judge will find,
In him who suffer'd death to save mankind.

THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH.∗

O Death! how bitter thy remembrance proves,
To him who lives at ease with those he loves!
Whose tranquil mind, no doubts disturb, or vex,
Whose prosp'rous state, no threat'ning cares perplex!
Whose heart is form'd enjoyment to receive,
Grateful himself, and ever prompt to give.

[Note *:]

Ecclus. Chap. 41.

---

Page 40

But, oh! how kindly is thy sentence hail'd,
By him whose means of comfort long have fail'd!
O Death! how welcome dost thou prove to him,
Whose strength decays in ev'ry fainting limb!
Who fast approaches to that weary age,
The last sad years of his long pilgrimage;
Who vex'd with all things, seems in all things crost,
And lives, to feel his hopes and patience lost.

But thou, my soul! steer thou from each extreme,
Nor wish for death, nor death a terror deem;
Remember them who long have gone before,
And those whose date of life will soon be o'er,
And know, the sentence of the Lord, o'er all,
Was, that as Adam fell, so they should fall.

And why should'st thou repine at the decree,
Or mourn that the behest extends to thee?
There is no inquisition in the grave,
What term th' Almighty to thy being gave;
If hoary honours crown'd thy lengthen'd day,
Or, in youth's blooming season called away;—

---

Page 41

Not for these things, to judgment thou'lt be brought,
But, for the good or evil thou hast wrought;
And all that claims thy study or thy care,
Is for that last great Judgment to prepare.

TO A FRIEND.

"May we in heav'n each other recognize;"
    How truly does my heart respond the pray'r!
May we together from the grave arise,
    And everlasting bliss together share!

For ever subject to distress and pain,
    To hourly griefs and fears a helpless prey,
How could Humanity her lot sustain,
    Unblest by Faith, uncheer'd by Hope's mild ray?

These, Heav'n in mercy gives, to aid our strength,
    The shades of erring reason to illume,
To smooth our pilgrimage beguile its length,
    And rob the vale of death of half its gloom.

---

Page 42

Yes! we shall meet again, no more to part!
    Meet in the mansions of eternal truth,
And friendship's germs which here entwine the heart,
    Shall flourish there in ever blooming youth.

TO A SLEEPING CHILD.

Sleep on, dear boy, and be thy slumbers fraught
    With glowing visions of the purest joy;
Sleep on, dear boy, and may'st thou dream of nought
    That would the dear delusive charm destroy.

Thine is that happy age, when ev'ry scene
    Appears array'd in Hope's delightful hue;
Long may it be, ere care shall intervene,
    To cloud the prospect, and impede the view!

May angels guard thine innocence and thee!
    Till, worn by age, life's energies shall faint;
Then, be this written as thy destiny!
    He was a Christian—and he is a saint.

---

Page 43

A FAREWELL.

    The fleeting moments fly apace,
    To hasten our farewell embrace;
    Yet ere I go, dear friends receive,
    The only off'ring I can give,
    The tribute of a grateful heart,
    That fain would all it feels impart.

    Or poor, or splendid, be the shed,
    That shelters next my humble head,
    There, oft with mem'ry I'll review,
    The hours of comfort pass'd with you;
    Oft with her aid, will fondly trace,
    The features of each absent face,
    And fancy that again I hear,
    The sounds to recollection dear,
    The accents of each friendly voice,
    That bade my sinking heart rejoice.
    Nor seldom will I breathe a pray'r,
    For those whose sweetly-soothing care,

---

Page 44

    Could the poor wand'rer's bosom calm,
    With sympathy's most precious balm.

    Wherever changing fate may guide,
    Whate'er of good or ill betide,
    Still to its best affections true,
    My heart will oft revert to you.
    If pleasure wing each passing hour,
    And health her genial influence show'r,
    To purest bliss 'twill be alloy,
    That you're not by to share my joy.
    But if God's wisdom shall decree
    A sadly diff'rent lot for me,
    If poverty and sickness, bow
    My frame, and sink my spirits low;
    In this sweet thought I'll find relief,
    You witness not my pain or grief.

    Farewell! Where'er I go, I bear
    Impressions time can not impair;
    Farewell! I tremble while I write;
    And gath'ring tears obstruct my sight;

---

Page 45

    But Hope's soft voice, in whispers sweet,
    Tells me we oft again may meet,
    And, as her words my fears subdue,
    Reluctantly I say, Adieu.

WRITTEN ON THE BLANK LEAF OF
"THE PLEASURES OF MEMORY."
The Gift of a beloved Brother.

        The Book fraternal friendship gives,
            To me, how doubly dear!
        My heart with joy the gift receives,
            And hails it with a tear.

        To thee, lov'd youth! far distant now,
            My thoughts, my wishes stray;
        For thee I breathe affection's vow,
            For thee I hourly pray.

---

Page 46

        How oft, when evening shades descend,
            And meditation reigns,
        I think on thee, my early friend,
            And our forsaken plains;

        And Mem'ry with her pencil stands,
            In retrospective gaze,
        With faithful eye, and skilful hands,
            To paint our childhood's days.

        In pensive or in playful mood,
            In humour grave or gay,
        The brother ever kind and good,
            Her magic hues pourtray.

        She gives me back the pleasing smile,
            That on thy cheek appear'd,
        When sportive mirth, devoid of guile,
            The passing moments cheer'd.

        Fond thought recalls the beaming eye,
            Which sympathy exprest:
        And fancy hears soft pity's sigh.
            Steal trembling from thy breast.

---

Page 47

        In virtue's graceful tints, I see
            Thy mind and features glow;
        And, in a double sense, to thee
            I "Mem'ry's Pleasures" owe.

AN
ADDRESS TO MY BELOVED PARENTS,
ON THE
ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR WEDDING DAY.

My own dear Parents,
                        Whilst with placid joy,
And calm delight which charms, but cannot cloy,
From your surrounding children you receive,
The tend'rest wishes that the heart can give;
Permit your absent daughter too, to pay
Her gratulations on this happy day.
In person absent—but, to duty true,
My thoughts are daily, hourly, fix'd on you.

---

Page 48

On you, to whom I owe a larger debt,
Than I can e'er repay, or e'er forget;
A debt that's enter'd on life's earliest page,
And still accumulating with my age.

My infant wants, your tender care engag'd;
By you each joy was shar'd, each pain assuag'd;
While prompt to shield me from each earthly ill,
Your pious sense of higher duties still
Allow'd not temp'ral wants t' engross your zeal;
But, mindful of the soul's immortal weal,
Fail'd not to lighten, with religion's ray,
The first faint dawnings of my mental day;
Hail'd with delight the op'ning mind of youth,
And stamp'd it with the characters of truth.

By you my heart was taught its pray'r to raise,
From your dear lips first learn'd the song of praise;
Learn'd to be thankful for each blessing given,
T' indulge no wish for those with-held by heaven,
But, firmly trusting in Almighty love.
My gratitude, by my obedience prove.

---

Page 49

As on my mind these recollections press,
Vain would be ev'ry effort to express,
All that I feel of grateful tenderness;
But never, never, shall my filial heart,
A voluntary pang to your's impart.
May heav'n accept and aid the vow it hears!
So shall the current of my future years
Glide smoothly on, till Death's relentless force,
Freeze up the fount of life, and stay its course.

For you!—may God's all-gracious providence
Around you still His choicest gifts dispense!
May He assist you with his saving grace,
And crown your virtues in a virtuous race!
In life, united may we all remain,
And only part in death, to meet again.

---

Page 50

ABSENCE. A SONG.

When absent from the friends I love,
    What anxious thoughts pervade my breast!
What fond regrets I hourly prove!
    What tender fears invade my rest!-
They're of my waking thoughts the theme,
And in my slumbers present seem;
For when I sleep, of them I dream.

My heart's best wishes on them wait,
    My kind and true regard they share;
Nor can the smiles nor frowns of fate,
    That firmly fix'd esteem impair.
For still through life, in joy or pain,
Affection shall her pow'r retain,
And still my bosom-guest remain.

---

Page 51

WRITTEN IN THE PORCH OF GUSSAGE CHURCH
DURING A HEAVY STORM.

As in this porch a safe retreat I find
From winter's pelting storms and chilling wind,
So, may I ever, when opprest by care,
Seek consolation in the house of pray'r;
Bow with submission to the will of God,
And bless the chast'ner whilst I feel the rod.

IMPROMPTU
WRITTEN ON A FROZEN PANE OF GLASS.

    For once, I'll act the child again,
    And scribble on this frozen pane
    Tho' soon the characters I trace
    Sol's rising glories will efface.
    Thus quickly childhood's pleasures pass,
    As ice-drops fair—but frail as glass.

---

Page 52

    And thus, when clouds obscure life's day,
    And reason bows beneath their sway;
    When wintry blasts, and storms unkind,
    Impress a gloom upon the mind,
    Religion's cheering beams arise,
    And soon the trace of sorrow flies.

SONNET.

My heart to disappointment long inur'd,
    And grown familiar with affliction's train,
With strengthen'd faith adversity endur'd,
    And bore unmov'd each new attack of pain.
So oft had whisp'ring hope been hushed by fear,
    I bade the flatt'rers' fond delusions cease,
Sustain'd the frowns of fate without a tear,
    And look'd to other, brighter realms, for peace.
But now, when beams of mercy from on high,
    Break through the clouds which life's horizon veil,
My bosom struggles with the swelling sigh,
    And all my wonted firmness seems to fail.
Great God of Heav'n! do Thou my ways direct,
In mercy spare me, and in love protect.

---

Page 53

TO A WEEPING FRIEND.

    Weep not, dear girl! at that neglect,
        Which ill thou hast deserv'd to know;
    Nor think that all thy love reject,
        Though one may cause thy tears to flow.

    Some hearts can, like the shifting vane,
        Veer with the wind at ev'ry blast;
    But others (fix'd in truth) remain
        Midst storms and tempests ever fast.

    Yes, man may proffer many a vow,
        And, spurning all, delight to range;
    But his example shall not bow
        My mind, nor teach my heart to change.

    Though all the world should hold thee light,
        And fickle friends forgetful prove;
    I never will thy merit slight,
        Now cease thy well-tried worth to love.

---

Page 54

    Love often mounts on roving wing,
        Nor gives one thought to parting pains;
    But, truth has taught my voice to sing,
        "Time flies, but friendship still remains."

STANZAS,
INSCRIBED TO MISS ——.

And must I then the dear belief resign,
    That through the storms of life's tempestuous day,
One tender, faithful friend, would still be mine,
    Whose love, nor time could change, nor int'rest sway?

Vainly I struggle to repress my tears,
    As thrills conviction through each troubled thought;
Fair was the vision of my early years,
    And sad the contrast which experience brought.

Another link is burst of that frail chain,
    Which bound my soul in confidence to man;
The sev'ring hand I recognize with pain,
    The motive lies beyond my pow'r to scan.

---

Page 55

Oh! I have calmly borne the cold neglect
    Of those who merit weigh in fortune's scale;
But, little did my trusting heart suspect,
    That one, who seem'd so true, in truth could fail.

Still, faithless as thou art, I love thee yet!
    Still, mem'ry makes her fond but sad appeal!
I cannot learn past kindness to forget,
    Nor feign a coldness I can never feel.

Keen is the pang thy broken vows impart,
    And deep the wound to friendship's bosom giv'n;
But wrong'd affection pardons all the smart,
    And prays that we may meet again in heav'n.

---

Page 56

A MORNING HYMN FOR CHRISTMAS DAY.

    Awake, my soul! nor longer lie
    Supine in senseless lethargy;
    Lo! brightly dawns salvation's day,
    Arouse thee from thy dream of clay!

    Wilt thou reject thy Saviour's call,
    And spurn His holy festival?
    Renounce the grace He'd freely give,
    And die—when Jesus bids thee live?

    When thou wert lost in guilt and shame,
    For thee He bow'd the heav'ns, and came;
    For thee He left His throne above,
    And wilt thou slight his offer'd love?

    For thee He came, for thee He bled,
    For thee behold His table spread;
    Thy pitying Lord invites thee—haste,
    And of the heav'nlv banquet taste.

---

Page 57

    In robes of penitence array'd,
    Be justly aw'd, but not dismay'd;
    If Faith but lead thee to the feast,
    Thou'lt be a well-accepted guest.

    Then rise, my soul! nor longer lie
    In listless, dull inanity;
    Rise! and to meet thy God advance,
    Oh, rouse thee! rouse thee! from thy trance!

THE DEFEAT OF SLANDER.

A FRAGMENT.

Lo! from the cave where haggard Envy lies,
Her eldest born insatiate Slander flies;
Her ranc'rous hate extends itself to all,
And the first victim that she meets, must fall.
But chiefly anxious, virtue to molest,
To steal the good man's peace, and break his rest;
His best, his brightest actions, to deride,
His faults to magnify, his worth to hide;

---

Page 58

She charges him with crimes he'd blush to name,
Blackens with guilt his yet unsullied fame,
And strives to give his cheek the tinge of shame.

Reputed friends with mean distrust combine,
And open enemies the standard join;
In private insult, and in public wrong,
Soon exercis'd are all the worthless throng;
And, ere their guiltless victim feels alarm,
Upon his head descends the bursting storm.

He, as a man, the sudden stroke must feel,
But conscience arms him with a shield of steel;
Her sweet support, enables him to fight
His own just cause, and put his foes to flight.
For though, at times, his spirit almost bends,
Beneath the treach'ry of once valued friends,
Short is that interval of mental pain,
Those he most loves still true to him remain.

The wife, who long hath been his bosom's guest,
Still, sweetly anxious, lulls his cares to rest;

---

Page 59

With kind affection cheers his drooping heart,
And blunts the point of sorrow's keenest dart;
No calumny her tender faith impairs,
Her love he still deserves, and still he shares.
His children bless his kind parental care,
And offer up for him the fervent pray'r;
Before th' Eternal Throne their pray'rs arise,
Th' Eternal God will not their suit despise;
In mercy, He will grant the wish'd relief,
And, from their Father's bosom banish grief.

Already see—his character to clear,
A friendly troop of Virtue's sons appear;
With look benign, they take him by the hand,
And thus address the base confed'rate band:

"Hence, servile crew! nor with such rig'rous hate,
"Pursue the merit ye should imitate.
"Fruitless and vain must each endeavour prove,
"The stedfast soul of innocence to move;
"The man, who stands secure in conscious worth,
"Looks for reward beyond the bounds of earth;

---

Page 60

"If the good counseller within his breast
"Can whisper peace,—he feels supremely blest;—
"He measures not his actions by your laws,
"Heeds not your blame, nor wishes your applause;
"But, humbly confident, he trusts in God,
"And meekly bows beneath his chast'ning rod.

"Such is the man on whom ye madly rush;
"And, can ye hope his happiness to crush?
"Vain is the hope—and vain the effort too;
"Ye meditate, what ye can never do.

"Ye faithless friends! by Slander's tongue seduc'd,
"When will ye own how much ye have traduc'd?
"When will your conscience triumph o'er your pride?
"Ah! when will justice draw the veil aside,
"With which his envied worth ye strive to hide?
"Oh! never more, his suffrage can you gain;
"He must distrust—though to distrust, be pain.
"But, not deserv'd reproach from him expect,
"He will forgive, tho' he cannot respect.

---

Page 61

"Revenge, within his breast, no place can find,
"All is serene, compassionate, and kind;
"Taught by his Saviour, he will lenient prove,
"And yield his pity, where he cannot love.

"Happy the woman who can call him Lord!
"Happy the children who surround board!
"They own his worth, are grateful for his care,
"Heighten his pleasures, and his sorrows share.
"No fear of separation damps their joy;
"They look for future bliss without alloy,
"When, all their trials and temptations o'er,
"Their God receives them on that blessed shore,
"Where grief comes not, and pain is felt no more.

"Back to thy cell, then, wretched fiend, retreat!
"And tell thy parent Envy, thy defeat;
"Tell her, by virtue all thy hopes are crost,
"And all thy poison'd shafts their pow'r have lost;
"For she, her faithful sons protects from harm,
"And safely shields them with her pow'rful arm."

---

Page 62

Slander this mandate dares not disobey;
Swiftly she flies, with terror and dismay.
Confusion seizes on the vanquish'd train,
They view their leader's flight, with trembling pain,
And fear, that punishment themselves prepar'd,
Will by themselves alone be duly shar'd.

Far different sensations fill the breast
Of him whom they so cruelly opprest;
He, feeling all his wonted peace regain'd,
Blesses the pow'r who hath his cause sustain'd;
For future good, on love divine relies,
And learns, above all present ills, to rise.