Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-08-08

LIT turf in beauty wave
1shfosHh his silent harp in chilling slooms!
Still grovel in your .<ssls ss;aiic ,ass.
And grippe ane gather boards ofuselcss gold;
y, III nc moonshine beams of Folly bask
Where all Is heartess, empty, vain aud cold.
Your names shall perish in nblivion's night,
When Y Ohm 's-treed from every mortal stain
Sbail shine with quenc;ess and increasing IipI,t
E'noaimed in his own pure and cherished strain.
With all your wealth--wi,h all your ronn nd ,r;d,
That poor neglected child of song and wo,
Zen at his humble fortunes lowest tide,
Had worth your niggard breas can never know
In all the trying scenes through which he passed,
ihe golden virtue most approved by Heaven
In his afflicted heart rooted fast,
And thence by mortal lowers could ne 'er be ryen
With CHARITY divine his bosom glowed-
lie ieit brother IS love for all ma NIX ind-
iiis tears for human sorrows freely flowed,
And selfish feelings ne er debased his mind
Call. if you please, the poets Gailties-crimes-
tie wore the robe tina hde,h countless sin,
aat IN the eye of God the soul subli,nes,
AN" mercy ssmile-a heavenly passport wins.
Cast unprotected on life S thorny wild
In tender youth, with feelings finely strung,
SePerest ills assaiied the minstrel-clii,
Aud every h5re Of his bosom wrung.
II in the moment of his msddening pangs
He sought IN Lethe's food with headlong speed,
Shali man, relentless damn the thoughtless deed,
Say, Christians: must the ill-starred u,e cts fame
Receive the enduring impress of disgrace:
And like some wretcIed felou guilty name,
BE scorned and hated by Christian race?
) let him whose hands are urdehIcd bv sin
And safely mailed III virtue, seize the brand,
ne poets honour stamp-and Join the din
ny which the victim. of reproach are banned.
aoyou parting word, ye generous bards!
VINO Knew your brothers failngs and forgave:--
Kon female mouIners claim your kind regards,
whose anguished bosoms press the poets grave
That aged woman grey with time and wo
Is weeping DER the offspring other love.
10 soothe her sorrows bid your numbers flow
ana bear her hopes to yon bright worlds above.
There too with many tender grief oppressed,
he minsfeFs sister breathes her mournful signs;
The task he yours to calm her troubled breast,
And heal with gentle art its broken ties
Foo what so meet to assuage the bitter pains
vi those to whom poets life was dear,
As are poets sweet condolng strains
His generous kindness, and his heart felt PRAYER,
IN this, ye youthful votaries of the lyre
Make Collins the model of your laws
iie scorned to fan Ambitions guilty fire,
vi Pahper crimes 10 win short lived.praise.
While all the stings the poets frailties boye
IN ms own bleeding breast their tortures sped
Like perfumes from the gardens liowery store
fi'S i'heiui virtues far abroad were spread.
Dear Woman! cherish in thy tender breast
kindly feeling for the buried Bard
For IN his straIn--hs sweetest nd his bret
Ihou hold st the first--thc most endeared reSayd,
Ana well thou mny'sl-for on his whitening heart.
ihon DIST the balm Of cheering mercy shed
And TO his ing pulse fresl, life in,nart
"hen ITS last 'iiob of earthly hope SEEMED dead,
Around his dying pillow thou vert seen
LAKE. some bright messenger from Mercy's throne,
ii, ioVs"er then than gfandeur's proudest queen
ana Dreaming Comfort i'll angels tone
there twas thine, at midnight's lonely hour,
WA ."'esi = ne silence drear, and solemn gloom,
'" men feisn when Death descends in ayy full power
40 bear the soul to her eternal DOOM
Ana gentle woman! there he task was thine
49, 80 view The lustre fading from his eva
10 oa'oe his iesbie lip with hand benign.
A'i" near MN breathe his faint expiring sigh,
that with her around that humble bed.
Where lay the poets frame in dsc, ron
WI hh's last lingering ray Of life had fed
=" ''''shuul gaSe' had stood his sternest fnss!
HAD seen ihat grief-sunk eye a nd wa sled cheek
W. YET -furrowed, cold, pale b5ew
Shere tanh had left her impress pnts ami rssL
And Hope sbe image Of her tinal vow.
FOR, taught by years of sorrow and of main.
De Bard had learned that time is but = d,se
'"S' a' '''e t'ss OF earth are fraIl and VAN,
ana gory light Itself meteor's CLEAN.
'saes , Oh 'he ROCK OF LIFE his hopes were cast.
ts s"1 ere the clouds that hung around hs tomb
me CLOUDS Of mortal agnpy!-werc mast
n stream OF heavenly radiance MERGED The e,,or,
~sie'tiai iyssti fron thy high abode
OON ,inwn on sinful with plying eve:
80 y heaven permit, his daiksn,ns road
a''' '' his 'hougbts 70 Joys that never die.
AM" and ~ wnT" ps,j' giostes GEEK thy gravs
May my ssraphic pnions DER tteo, cs, ''e'e'
And thy inspiring presence FIJI the aifi
Ann now thy painful pilgrimage Is DOR
May Envy cease to scocyl upou the 1,,
ana Genius yield ptt1nce from his store
r-~-. memorial Ger Thy dust to raisei D. r.