The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1844-09-07
Affection For The Dead.
BY wAsHIoToN IRWIN.

row from which we refuse to he divorced
| Every other wound we seek to heal-eyerv
Ither affection forgci-but this wound we
onsider i, duty to keep open this afilc.
| ion we cherish and brook over in solitude.
| Where ~ the mother who would willingly
forget the infant that perished like blossom
rom her arms, though every recollection is
| pang! Where is the child that would
| willingly forget The most tender Of parepts,
| hnugh TO remember be bu, 10 lament Who
even in the hour of agony, would forget the
friend over whom he mouins-who even
when the tomb is closing upon the remains
# her lie most loved: when he feel, his
is portals, would accept Of consolation that,
must be ronght by forgelluness! No,lhe
iOve that survives the tomb, is one Of the
,oblest attributes Of the soul. II il has its
woes, i, has likewise its delight, and when
he overwhelming burst of grief is camed
INTO the gentle tear Of recolleciiOns, when
he sudden anguish and the conclusive
,gony o,er the present ruins of all that most
owed, is sof!ened away into pensive medi
ions on all that it was in the DAYS OF lis
oveliness-who would not root out such a
sorrow from the heart! Though il NAV
4, sometimes throw passing cloud over the
Iorghl hours of gaety or deeper sadness
over the hour OF gloom, yet who would ex-
-hange il even for the song of pleasure, or
he burst of reveIryl No: there is voice
rom the tomb sweeler Than song. There
IS a remembrance Of the dead 10 which we
D lurn even from the charms Of the living Oh!
the grave the grave Ill buries every
error-covers every defect-extingnishe
every resentment From its peaceful bosom
spring none bu, fond regrets and tender
recoleciions! Who can look down upon
} The grave of an enemy, aud leel compunc-
tious ,hrob, that he should have warred
with the poor handful of earth that lies
: mouldering before him!
! place for meditation; There i. is that we
call up in long review the whole history
of virtue and gen,leness, and the thousand
endearments Iavished upon US almost un.
needed in the daily intercourse Of intimacy
there lis tina. we dwell upon The teEder
ness, the eolemn, awful tenderness, of the
D parting seene--,he bed of death, with all
Of its slihed griefs-i,s ,noiseless attendants
n lis mute, wal.hful assidities the last teslI.
g monies Of expiring Iove--ihe feeble, fuuer.
s ing, thrilling, oh, how thrilling! pressure Of
i, ihe hand-lhe last fond look Of the glazing
c eye, turning upon us even from the thres.
hold of exlslence-,he faint, lalterng &C
! cents, struggling TO give one more look oI
a affection!
II Ay go TO the grave OF buried love, and
i mediate. There settle the account will
p Thy conscience for every past benefit unre
lquiued-eyery past endearmenl unregarded
nf departed being who can never-never-
Y never return 10 be soothedby .hy conirilion
t If thou art child and hast ever added q
1t sorrow to the soul, GA furrow 10 tbs silver
n I'd brow, of an afeclonaie pareni-If tho,
u irl husband, and hast ever caused tn,
fond bosom that yenMred its whole hap
) lpness in thy arms, 10 doub, one moment o
Thy kindness or thy irulh--f thou art
= friend, and haste ever wronged in thought
? or word, or deed, or spirit that generously
e confded in thee-if thou art a lover, ant
hast ever given one unmeriIed pang to tha
uue heart which now lies COLI and sill
i beneath thy feet; then be sure that unkinT
ooks, every ungracious word,ev ungenll
action, will come thronging back upon til.
= memory e. knocking doIefuIIy at thy soul
d lhenbesure that though will lie down sorrow
I ing and repen.aH on the grave and utter tn
} uuheeded groan, ard pour the unavailin
ear, more deep, more bitter, because un
Ie heard and unayaling
Then weave the chaplet Of flowers an
4 slrew the beauties Of nature abOu, The grave
r, console thy broken spirit, il thou cans
with these tender, yet futile, tributes of le
srel-but take warning by the bitterness {
n his thy contrite affection over The dead,
4