Two sorrowing sons increas’d the gloomy day.
Who will while life remain her loss deplore;
Till recollection from them fade away,
Or erring Mortals here do sin no more.
Each little Mourner drop’d affection’s tear,
When dust on dust the coffin hid from view;
Their youthful sighs denoted their despair,
When they to Grandma’ bid a long adieu.
ALBERT TO HANNAH.
I’ve read your letter o’er and o’er again,
Happy to find you faithful do remain,
Besides forgiveness; though too much I fear,
I long have made you victim to despair.
You say two years with fervency I strove
To keep affection, constancy, and love;
But soon as crosses came upon my mind,
Was careless of you and appear’d unkind.
I know my home was neat serene and nice;
But, ah! that home I lost, allured by vice.
Soon as you fled, a different scene in view,
Gone all attention soon as I lost you.
The quick retort was always in my ears,
You’ve drown’d a virtuous wife in sorrow’s tears.
Soon as I found all hopes to meet you fled,
I pray’d I might be numbered with the dead:
Oblivion’s aid I oft invoked by drink,
I could not meditate nor dared to think.
You say it cost you tears to write to me,
But they’ll disperse when you a convert see.
Long I’ve invok’d a pardon from above,
To make me worthy of the wife I love:
Return, and till my days are at an end,
I’ll prove protector, guardian, and a friend.
The converse delicate; the smile sincere,
Will check the sigh, and stop the rising tear;
Cheerful as formerly we’ll pass our life,
A happy husband I, and you the wife.
on the death
of
LORD NELSON.
The fleet of haughty France and Spain,
No more will triumph on the main,
Though Nelson is no more:
Our hero’s blood was dearly bought;
To conquer them he bravely fought,
And died in vict’ry’s arms.
‘We’ll avenge his death,’ the seamen cry,
‘We’ll fight, we’ll conquer, or we’ll die,
And will their force deride:
Our little ones shall lisp his name,
And to acquire a Nelson’s fame,
Will ever be their pride.’
Before cold death had closed his eyes,
Cover’d with wounds, the hero cries,
‘Is victory our own?’
‘We’ve conquer’d,’ cried the valiant crew,
He smiling bade them all adieu,
And died without a groan.