Litchfield enquirer., 1856-02-07
The Graves of che Loved. BY WASHINGTON IRVING.

The grave is the ordeal of true affection. It is there lhe divine passion of the soul maaifesis its superiority to the iLslinesive Impulses of mere animal attachment. The latter must be continually refreshed and kept alive by the prssence of the ohjrci. but she love that is seated on the soul can live on long remembrance The mere in- clinaiions of sense, languishing and declin- ing with the charms which excite them, turn with shaJd-ring and disgust from pre- clncls of the tomb but it Is thence that true spiritual affection rises purified from every sensual desire. and turns like holy fane to illuminate and sanc,ify the heart of the survivor. The sorrow for the dead Is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be- divorced. Every other would We seek to hraI-every other afflic,ion to for- get; but ,Eis wound we consider il a duty to keep opep-ihe afflictions we cherish and brood over in solitude. Where is the
 mother who would willingly forget the i,,- fant that p-ri-hed like a, hlnssom fro,n her arms, though every recollection is pang. Where is tine daughter that would willing y forge, the most tender of parents, tho to remember hut 10 lament ?-who, even ia the hour of agony, would forge, ,hs friend over whom he Inourns Who. when the tomb is closing upon the remains of her he most ioved-when he feels his heart as it were. crushed in the closing of its Portal-would accept consolation that must he brought by foree,fuiness No; the love which survives the tomb is one of the noblesi attributes of ihe soul. If it has woes, 1t likewise had it's delights; and when the overwhelming burst of grief is calmsd into the gentle tear of recollection the sudden and convGisive agony IS over-the present ruin of a il,at We most loved is sofiened away into pensive meditation on al. that it was in ihr days of it's iov-iin-ss. Who will root out such sorr"w from the heart! Though ii may sometimes throw a passing cloud over the bright hours of gay-iy, or spread deeper sadness over the hour of gloom. yet who would exchange 1t for the song of pleasure or the burs, of rrvelry! No; there is a voice from the tomb sweeter than song There is a remembrance of the dead to which We turn even from the charms or the living. Oh, the grave! the grave !- IL huries every error, covers every defect, extiaguishes every resentment. From it's peaceful bosom springs none hut fond rec grrt and tender recollection! Who can look upon ihr grave even of an rns,ny, and not feel a c"mpuuc,ive thr"b that he had ever warrsd against the poor handful of earth that lies mouldering before him
 But the grave of those We lovrtl-what a place of meditation There it is that ". call up in long review the whole history of virtue and ha?pinrss, and the thousand -nd.armrn,s lavished upon us almost un. h.edrd in 'he daily course of intimacy the tenderness of the pairing scem-ih- bed of death. with all it's s,ifled grirfs, its noise- less attendants, its mute. watritul assidui- tirs-ihe last testimonials oi expiring love the feeble. futirrlng. ihrilling-oh. how thrilling! pressure of the hand-the f..t, faitering aec-n,s. struggling in death 10 give one more assurance Of affection!
 Ay. go 10 the grave of buried love and mediate! there settle the arcount with conscience for every past benefit unreq"i,- ed, evtry past endear.nrnt nnrgarded. of ,ha, departed heinz who can never. never return to be soothed by thy contriiinn.
 Ii thou art d child. and hast ever added a sorrow to the soul. or a furruw to the sil. yer brow of an afirctinnaie parent-if thou art A husband. and hast ever caused ite tond bosoin that has veniurrd it's whole happiness in ,hy arms 10 doubt one mo- msnt of thy kindness aud tru,h-if thou ..s a friend who hast ever wrongrd. in thought, or word, or deed. the spri, ,ha, generously romfded in ,hee-if th"u art a lover, and has, given one uRm-rtrd pang 10 that heart that now lies cold aud stiff be- nraii, thy fret-ihen be sure that every unkind look. every ungrarious word, every ungrh,le action, " iil rotne ,i,r"nging back upon ,hr memory and knock doIriully upon thy soul; then be sure thou wilt lie down sorrowing aud rrpea,ing on the grave, and utter the unl,eafd groan. aud pour the una vai!ing tear more deep. more bitter, because unhrsrd and unsvaiiug.
 Then weave the ehap'st of flowers ani
 s,rew ,h. heauii-s of Nature about ih-
 grave--rons"ls thy broken spirit. if thou
 canst with those tender y-t fertile tributes
 of reg ret, an take warning by the bitter
 ness of this thy coaifi,e affection over the dead. and henrefor,h he more faithful and affrc,ionate in the discharge Of thy duties
 to the living.