TO A YOUNG LADY.
November, 1825.
Ah! gentle Stranger, the sad cause of grief,
That banishes, resistless, all relief,
And dooms a hapless being to complain
Of deep, incessantly afflictive pain,
Is stern Disease, whose blighting hand is pressed
On the warm current of a youthful breast;
With its worst evils lastingly combined
To damp the ardor of a dawning mind.
That banishes, resistless, all relief,
And dooms a hapless being to complain
Of deep, incessantly afflictive pain,
Is stern Disease, whose blighting hand is pressed
On the warm current of a youthful breast;
With its worst evils lastingly combined
To damp the ardor of a dawning mind.
The endearing sweets of life I must forego,
And youthful pleasures never more can know;
Ne'er hail again with joy the roseate morn,
When its soft fragrance on the breeze is borne;
When opening flowers, in brightly painted bloom,
Fill the pure air with balmy, sweet perfume;
When the soft tints of varying light unfold,
In deeper crimson and in richer gold;
When glowing blushes, on the azure bright,
And on the fleecy, flying clouds, alight;
When gentle music floats along the sky,
As o'er the soft cerulean wildly fly
Sweet strains of joyous, artless melody.
And youthful pleasures never more can know;
Ne'er hail again with joy the roseate morn,
When its soft fragrance on the breeze is borne;
When opening flowers, in brightly painted bloom,
Fill the pure air with balmy, sweet perfume;
When the soft tints of varying light unfold,
In deeper crimson and in richer gold;
When glowing blushes, on the azure bright,
And on the fleecy, flying clouds, alight;
When gentle music floats along the sky,
As o'er the soft cerulean wildly fly
Sweet strains of joyous, artless melody.
I wandered, once, in happy, careless ease,
Where various circling beauties gayly please;
Through verdant fields, with flowers bespangled wild,
Where the soft, varied landscape sweetly smiled;
Plucking the gorgeous beauties that invite
The hand to crop them, and the eye delight;—
Or musing, slowly gained the adjacent shore,
Charmed by the waters' ever-restless roar;
Where swelling waves progressive, fiercely flow,
Or round the ragged rocks, in murmurs low,
Gurgles the song that soothed my buoyant breast,
And all within was happy and at rest.
With a dear sister, or a tender friend,
Each moment joy and happiness attend:
Gayly conversing, or in pensive mood,
We wandered far away in pleasing solitude.
Where various circling beauties gayly please;
Through verdant fields, with flowers bespangled wild,
Where the soft, varied landscape sweetly smiled;
Plucking the gorgeous beauties that invite
The hand to crop them, and the eye delight;—
Or musing, slowly gained the adjacent shore,
Charmed by the waters' ever-restless roar;
Where swelling waves progressive, fiercely flow,
Or round the ragged rocks, in murmurs low,
Gurgles the song that soothed my buoyant breast,
And all within was happy and at rest.
With a dear sister, or a tender friend,
Each moment joy and happiness attend:
Gayly conversing, or in pensive mood,
We wandered far away in pleasing solitude.
But those loved scenes no more can cheer my eyes;
No joy awakes, when morning's charms arise.
For all is gloomy as the silent night,
When sadness shadows o'er the hours of light;
When pain unceasing wastes the time away,
And hopeless anguish fast consumes its prey.
While tender friends in silent sorrow mourn,
Augmenting fears forbid sweet Hope's return.
No joy awakes, when morning's charms arise.
For all is gloomy as the silent night,
When sadness shadows o'er the hours of light;
When pain unceasing wastes the time away,
And hopeless anguish fast consumes its prey.
While tender friends in silent sorrow mourn,
Augmenting fears forbid sweet Hope's return.
Oh! may'st thou never know such sore distress,
May'st thou ne'er taste of bitterness like this.
May each fell symptom of malign disease
Vanish, and health, and happiness, and ease
Await thy hours,—successive pleasures flow,
And guardian angels save from every woe.
Accept my thanks, thy gentle pity's claim,
From one, who happiness no more must name.
May'st thou ne'er taste of bitterness like this.
May each fell symptom of malign disease
Vanish, and health, and happiness, and ease
Await thy hours,—successive pleasures flow,
And guardian angels save from every woe.
Accept my thanks, thy gentle pity's claim,
From one, who happiness no more must name.