Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-03-01

In st,rns If tnunder and the lightning blaze
Of vnouenched fire, and rrod upon he Mount
Of SINAI. with earthquake steps, all g!orious
Tim who didst speak In the still voice, and Int
1'hy chosen to the realms, where all Is beauu'
full
TIN. who acc ,rdest to dull CLAW, the spark
immortal T4ou who in darkness bright
T-eaIeth. and in thv majesty transcendant
Spreadest the visions of the past nnutteraole!
Thor. who canst make, existence OF the earth;
And TO the earth. return existence given!
Here on this spot, kheel, and now IN dust!
Oh, aid this sonr-my last and latest song!
To ch no. nv soul; uplift 1t now, it ever!
Few he the words. as fin PRAYER to Thee!
Poured fro.n the ,Jul to reach the soul, IN pow.
err
And thine shall he the elerv. without end
Read here the vanity of earthly PRIDE
Here slee sine .reatest of he great, III clay
He who astoun ed empires. and babe quake,
The .urntiest in the realms OF mighty power:
tI.r. rest the bones OF One, the world has
Known, know.
u.rs sIeeus the form; the world can never
Tue Heco Con Iueror, Friend fhhoPher'
Here buried, is the temple OF nam.
ira, had no ca1nterfeit! - Here, dumb beneath
'ra;s ruined mound, the cold heaped ashes he
M am who saved u.s. And the SAVIOR now
What IS he: Dust of the dust! Companion rich
OF the poor vile worm, and brother OF Cor
ruptiou!-
IA no not even so, the worm has feasted
And reyels now at other banquetsi-Fit en-
blem'
I sneak il honestly bold We are the worms,
NV countrymen but feel almost ashamed
TO cali Won sol Yeare the recreant brood,
Who led upon his greatness and when gorged,
Fell back from the full surfeit feast
lie gave you ALL out like the parasites
or she grave mould with torpid ,tillness; all
Have era lied to other and richer ground'
And conld weep with indi gnation! Come vel
Beaold this spot Fall on your knees and pray!
Ard ,et the madness of your agony
Stas ler the intlamed brain with horror!
Smite YOUR clenched hands upon your marble
heart
And feel the unutterable curse
Which breathes as With living presence round
About this scpnlchre of sepulchres!
And vet not quite too good for the poor hound
That no Wis WITH prophetic instinct deep,
Low crouchins by my side OH shame Of
shane'
Put let ne Law me down and ruminatei
Here on this thick, thick bed OF withered leaves
Which almost choakes the Scared anu man
glcd door
OF this poor charnel vault! Come Pride, aud
look
There has the frequent pilgrim grav'd his name
Upsn the rotting plank, or traced with hurried
hand
The dav and hour he visited the grave
o, trail memorials perishins each nour:
Net cen the master tenant mighty name
Can save yo IT ,die characters Of fame,
From blending with Oblivion. Poor fools!
Fe v write their living epitaphs so well
Enjoy it while We may! pity, but condemn!
Come, let me crown my brow with cedar
wreathsi (dusti
Proudest o. crowns since gathered from thy
4 mold tue Olympic conqneror poor,
HIS laurel leaves mad mans crown OF straw!
The .ainest Of tri lmpnal diadems!
Mine is the victor wreath Of mortal grandeur
Wet with the burning tears that scorch the
-s cheek! fcountry!
Hot tears of shame! and shed for thee: my
How desolatei On Goa. how desolate.
U.terless nor ror, OF dumb silence, rslgns!
1t see rs As If the dying dav OF Death Is come!
And, terror's proud and awful monarch, now
Is Welding up his sceptre, and ms throne!
The dreary calm Of cold Sabbath stiffness;
Where solemn DELL, and prayer are never heard;
Reisns in tae deep blue hollow, OF the heaven!
Unnatural gloom hangs Ger the blasted trees,
Whicn canopy t1i, last sad dwelling place.
But look astoaishcdl is it no terrible dream?
No. DO: the Ginning truth stands in les
Pa pable! darker than darkest night
Lo' where some nurderous, sacrilegious hand,
HATH it'll accused steel hewn down.
One mourner DER the spot!-Oh! Slave!
From what Lands tongue, shall words be gar
ne ed in
To frame curse so fearfuilv dread
That humau hearts shall shake at the announce.
ment, [death
And mortal checks, turn white and cold; as
Had touched with his all-witheriug Wasting
wing
For thy polluted soul,-It is not mine to seek.
Vengeance, vengeance will have her day
Her hour Of Judgment and her day OF doom!
Trembls; thou wretch! and while stern con-
science, ..... ....
Plants deep her cancers on thy fostering heart
And shoots her serPents through thy tortured
brain. a. There;
And the black venomous snakes, spit poison
Go! go; unwhipped. abandoned to such hell
Hank to he wild, wild shrek Of that lone bird:
AWAY, aloft, in the dull sun clouds lowering!
Like sad spirit, waiing DER the past! Ity!
Tae powerful and good! Emblem OF sovereign
Proud eagle Of the hills! Soar higher vet aloft
And snatch the thunderer's hurricane and hurl
The blazing vengeance down on the ungrateful!
The meanest Roman had MS chineral urn;
The poorest Greek had built his funeral cairn!
Bat rhoa. fnou Of the world, the one
The master Of old worlds, and the new! $50,
Hssescarcely room enough ,nthe deep ground,
To'aold thy greatness vanished to a span!
III ~ AIT thou honored-- tightly potentate!