Moral Pieces, in Prose and Verse/On the Character of a Venerable Friend
ON THE CHARACTER OF A VENERABLE FRIEND.
OH, could my humble page one feature save,
Of that dear friend who moulders in the grave,
Or through one soul a generous love diffuse
Of her pure virtues, her exalted views,
Or to one heart a thought of goodness give,
Then not in vain this humble page should live.
And Oh, that I, who saw her here below,
Who knew those deeds the world could never know,
Her inward peace, amid affliction's rage,
Her meek and graceful dignity of age,
Her quickly feeling heart, her moisten'd eye,
When pain was heard to mourn, and want to sigh,
Her tenderness for youth, her alms for woe,
Her hand in secret stretching to bestow,
Her liberal views, her self-instructed mind,
Active and strong, with seraph goodness join'd;
Who saw the path her lonely footstep trod,
Not chosen by the world, tho' mark'd by God;
Who saw her tending down the vale of time,
With thoughtful energy, with hope sublime:
Who saw her sinking in her last repose,
Saw her lov'd life receive its gentle close;
Oh, might I with this image in my eye,
But learn like her to live, like her to die;
Or though a narrower sphere to me is given,
Still in that sphere be emulous of heaven;
Oh, might I from her fond monitions learn,
To heed my last, my infinite concern;
Then not in vain her life, her lessons free,
Then not in vain will be her death to me;
And when with tortur'd nerve, and labouring breath,
I pant upon the icy couch of death;
Then peace shall beam upon my darken'd eyes,
And hope within my fainting heart arise,
That she I lov'd on earth, may meet me in the skies.