The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-17
AFFECTION FOR THE DEAD.

The sorrow fer the dead Is the only soTfo" IRON
which we refuse TO be divorced Every other wound
,onld we SEEK 10 heal-eyery other affection forget
hut this wound We consider II duty to keep
open--his affection we cherish and brood over IN
solitude Where is the mother that would "lhngy
forget the infant that persisted Ike blossom rom
her arms, though every recollection is IKE pang'
Where is the child that would willingly forget the
most tender Of parents, though TO remember Dc but
10 lament Who, even 10 the hour oil agony, would
forget the friend over whom he mourhsf VINO,
even when the tomb IS closing upon the remains OF
her he most loved when he feels his heart, as It
were. crushed to The closing Of its portals, would
accep of consolation that must be bought oy forget
fulness Mo- the love that survives The tomo Is one
Of the nobest attributes Of The soul IL u mas ITS
woes il has likewise its delights and when the
overwhelming burst Of grief is Gained into the gen
tie recollection when the sudden anguish and The
convusve agony over, the present. RUNS oil all that
we most loved soitened away into meditation on
all that it was in the days OF It's loveliness-"ho
would not root out such sorrow from The heart =
Though il may sometimes throw passing cloud
over the bright hour of gaety, or spread deeper
sadness over the hours of gloom, yet who would ex
change il even for the song oil pleasure or the burst
of revelryi No; there is a voice from the tomb
sweeter than song. There is remembrance Of the
dead TO which turn even from the charm OF the
living Oh, the gave the grave 1T buries every
terror-covers every defect-extingushes every re-
sem meBt. From its peaceful bosom spring none but
fond regrets and tender recollections Who can
look down upon the grave even OF an enemy, and
no, feel compunctious throb that should have
warred with the Ioor handful Of earth that lies mou
dering before him.
And the grave Of those we Ioved-what place f,r
meditation There is that call up in long review
The whole history of virtue and genileness and The
thousand endearments lavished upon almost
beeded in The daily intercourse OF intim cy there II
is that we dwell upon tenderness the solemn, aU fol
tenderness of the pairing scene-the bed OF death,
Wi h all i've s1ed griet-its noseless auendants--rs
mute, watchfu asridules-the last testimonies OF es
prinu ove-he feeble 1utrering, thr ling, oh, how
thrilling the pressure Of The handthe last fond ok
ofthe gazing .ye, turning on Us even from the
threshold of eHistence-the faint, falenng accents,
struggling in death, to give more assurance of al
fiction
Thea settle The account with Thy conscience for
ry past benefit unreGued-every past endearment
unregarded, Of that departed being who can newell
nevernever return to he soothed by any conirl ion
If hou art child and has added t. the
soul iurrow TO the silver brow of affect onae pa
rents-if thou art husband and has ever caused the
fond bosom that yentured its whole happiness in thy
arms, to doub. moment of thy kindness thy
tIuthif thou art friend, and has ever wronged N
thought or word, deed spirit, that generosity
coDfded in thoe-ift thou art lover and hast evyr
given unmeriied pang to that true heart, chnOw
lies cold and still beneath thy feet-then be thai
every unklnd look, every uDgracous word, every
gentle action, will come throngiDg back upon thy
memory, and knocking doefully at thy soul-then be
sure that thou wilt lie down sorrowirg and ,epen.
tant on the grave-and utter the unheeded groan and
pour thy unavaiing tears more deep, more bitter, be-
cause unheard and unavang.
Then weave the chaplet OF flowers and strew he
beauties of nature about the grave console thy bTok
en- spirit if thou oansi with these tender, yet futile
tributes ofregrei-but take warning by the bitterness
of s thy conri afflicton the dead and hence
forth be more faithful and aflectionate in the dis
charge of thy duty towards the living Washington
irving.