How sweet is sympathising grief, Thus sighing to the passing gale, Or wand'ring o'er the rugged steep, Oft have I told my mournful tale, And wept my sorrows in the deep. Few are my days, yet full of pain, I sorrowing tread life's devious way, No hopes my weary steps sustain, My grief, alas! finds no allay. See yonder rose that withering lies, Lost are the beauties of its form, Torn from its fost'ring stem it dies, A victim to the ruthless storm. How fair it shone at early morn, How lovely deck'd in verdant pride, It blush'd luxuriant on the thorn, And shed its sweets on ev'ry side. How fair the morning of my day, Now chang'd, alas ! to horrid gloom, My joys are fled, far, far away, And buried lie in Anna's tomb. PIETY. TIS sacred piety that leads the ravish'd mind, Through polish'd fields, and joys the most refin❜d, Instructs the wand'ring eye, at one extended glance, To dart o'er time, and view our life's expanse View unseen worlds to beings form less end, While all their armies on one king depend. Angels and luminaries round him rise, Existing in his life, and kindling from his eyes: His unconfin'd love, his all-extensive soul, Brighter exalt and regulate the whole, Instructs the pride of man to fix its bound, In one small spot of this amazing round. Contract and lean, where heaven has fix'd its fate An inch its room, a moment for its date; Teaches the heart a higher Bliss to taste, And part its feelings with another's breast. Enlarge its fondest wish for all mankind, And prize the likeness of the maker's mind; While mutual love bids all discord Ат (CONTINUED.) [NO. 2. the bed, and bursting into tears, come, take a last look of thine unfortunate mother; for to-day she will be placed in the cold bosom of the earth; and would to heaven thou couldst go with her, for thy uncle is too old to protect thy rising youth, and thou hast no father to foster thee; no father will show his affection for the mother, by living for, and T first we flattered ourselves that she was only in a swoon but when it appeared that she was really dead, then I gave my-taking care of her precious child. self up to the most un manly woe, and determined upon fol. lowing her, by refusing to take any sustenance whatever; for two days did I adhere to this cowardly intention, without taking notice of any thing, save the dear corse; the family spoke to me, intreated and even wept over me, but to no purpose-I sat by the dead with drp eyes, mute as herself. On the third day, the day of her interment, her uncle came into the room, with my infant in his trembling arms.-Come, dear babe, said he, holding it towards These words fell with force upon my heart, and in an instant I perceived the cruelty of my conduct, and was overwhelmed with shame. Yes, exclaimed I, stretching out my hands to receive my little one, yes, she has a father, who will live for her, and will cherish her as long as memory shall impress upon his soul the idea of her incomparable mother -but he must be indulged-he must be permitted to give vent to his feelings, when he reflects upon his irretrievable loss. He answered me in the most soothing. voice of affection, gently remon strating with me for my neglect of myself, and endeavouring to yield me all the consolation that reason could afford. It is not your Louisa, said be, who there lies insensible-it is only the prison that she once inhabited-the day of her enlargement has come, and long before this she has reached her appointed abode in Paradise; whether departed spirits are permitted to know what passes upon earth after they have quitted it, we may not presume to say; but upon the supposition, that they are, can it add to their bliss to see the tears, and hear the big groans of those whom they most did love when here? and if they are not, why should we waste in useless griefs those days which might be appropriated to the benefit of those who remain? be composed, my son ; I do not require of you to be gay, oh no-you have indeed lost a treasure, and must feel it sensibly; but at the same time I would not have you forget that you have a new charge, which demands your kindest cares. His eloquence was not unsuccessful; at his request I quitted the apartment, and after having taken as much nourishment as my delicate situation would admit of, I endeavoured to repose for a little while upon a bed, when the sound of people walk. ing slowly, roused me. I imme. diately knew it to be the funeral procession, and summing up all my fortitude, I arose, and with a tottering step accompanied it, leaning on the arm of Louisa's uncle. When we arrived at the cemetary, the coffin was uncovered, that I might take a last embrace of my love-it was a me. lancholy one, indeed: all who were with me were deeply affected; none spake a syllable, but the silent tears of sympathy glided profusely down many a cheek, and some who had not power to suppress their sensations, sobbed aloud. The signal, after a short pause, was given to deposit the body in the earth. I saw them shut the coffin, and begin to lower it-I thought myself composed-I thought I was resigned, when I saw it descend to the bottom of the tomb-but with the first clod that sounded hollow on the lid, the delusion was broken, my brain seemed all on fire-my heart beat with violence, and I was springing into the grave, when same of the attendants caught me in their arms, and I was conveyed home in a state of insensibility. For several weeks I had no knowledge of what was transacted about me, then every thing appeared to me like those fancies which only exist in a morning dream; but recollection, by degrees, resuming her functions, I remembered something of great distress of a burial, of an infant, but could not connect their idea; and as the eye of reason opened more clearly, these images passed more frequently through my mind, and perplexed me exceedingly. As I was permitted to walk out, as soon as I had sufficient strength, I frequently strolled to the woods, through which, in my happier days, I had been accustomed to ramble; and chance led me one afternoon to the burial place the heavy dews dropt from the bending branches of the dark hemlock, which, uniting its foliage with the gloomy verdure of the thick woven cedar, cast a deep damp shade over the solemn spot, while a solitary Robin, that sat upon the withered bough of a neighbouring pine, threw a note of such plaintiveness to the lingering breeze, as bade my soul feel yes, I found a congenial dreariness, and clambered over the fence, to take a nearer view of the few scattered graves that were there enclosed. Passing from one to another, a novel object arrested my attention: it was a grey marble monument, covered with a white slab. I approached it, and read the following inscription. Sacred To the Memory of LOUISA ST. HERBERT, A victim 19 The joy visible in the countenance of all the family, at my sudden and unexpected recollection, made a sensible impression upon me they were all assiduous in attending on me, and none approached me, but with a cheerful aspect; even my little girl, who was now between three and four months old, smiled in my face, and by her artless playful. ness, seemed to lure me from my griefs. In fine, in the course of a few days I was quite a rational being, and finding that the whole study of Mr. Maurisson was to render me contented in my situa tion: I was resolved to make him not less so, if possible: according ly, I evaded every conversation that would tend to a renewal of our regret however, as my health increased, I perceived with infinite concern, that his was fast declining, and that though he appeared pleasant in my presence, yet a heavy melancholy had instamped itself upon every feature: he courted solitude, and often when I was busy in the garden, would leave me, under pretence of taking rest; observing that his malady took deeper root daily, I began to suspect that the woe he would not speak preyed upon his heart, and that he cherished it in some other place. I therefore followed him at a distance, the next time he left me, and saw his aged feet enter the place where my love slept in silence. He bent over/ the marble, like a fond mother over the couch of an expiring, only ehild; with united hands, and looks of unutterable anguishDear inmate, at length sobbed he, how didst thou fade before thy prime; how early was thy little cup of joy dashed with bitterness; but thou tastest it no more: no, it is I who am left to drain the dregs, and bewail mine own imprudence. I stifled my tears, and knelt down by his side, grasping his hand. And is it thus, said 1, that you endeavour to shor. ten the period that Providence has allotted you? Is it thus you endeavour to deprive me, and my little Louisa, of our best, our only friend? You have sympathized with, and comforted me: alas, yon want that comfort yourself. Let me, I pray, undertake the gentle office of attempt. ing to bestow it. So saying, I placed his arm under mine, and led him to our habitation. My George, said he, as he seat ed himself, I feel that my end is fast approaching; yet you will have no no occasion to lament: I have brought you sorrow, my son, and can make you no compensation. True, I leave you my estate, a vast one-but what are riches to a man who is deprived of the woman of his affections, the idol of his heart! As he said this an unusual tenderness softened his voice: he fixed his eyes fondly on my face, and the tear that stood upon his cheek assumed a new brilliance, from the glow suffused beneath it-he continued: As but the barrier of perhaps few fleeting days divide me from the invisible regions, I will unfold to you a secret, which none but myself knows, and which I had determined should be concealed with me in the grave, but fate decrees otherwise. Barbarous and hard-hearted, though 1 |