The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-10-22
Sorrow for tho Dead.


sorrow from which we refuse to bo di-
vorced. Every other wound we seek to
heal, every other ahliction to forget; but
this wound we consider duty to keep
open; this afliction we cherish and
brood over in solitude. Where is the
mother who would willingly forget the
infant that persisted like a blossom from
her arms, though every recollection is a
pang? Where is the child that would
forget the most tender of parents, though
to remember be to lament.
Who, even in the hour Of agony.
would forget the friend over whom he
mourns? Who, even when the tomb is
closing upon the remains Of her he
most loved--when he feels his heart, as
it were. crushed in the closing Of its
portals--would accept of consolation
that must be bought by forgotGulncss?-
No, the love which survives the tomb
is one of tho noblcst attributes Of the
soul IF it has its woes it has also its
delights; and when the overwhelming
burstof grief is calmod into the gentle
tear Of recollection, when tho sudden
anguish and the convulsivo agony over
the present ruins Of all that we most
loved is softcned away into pcusivc med
itatiOn on all that it was in the days of
/ its loveliness, who would root out such
sorrow from the heart? Though it
may sometimes throw a passing cloud
over the bright hours of gaicty, or
spread a deeper sadness over the hour
Of gloom yet who would exchange it,
even for the song Of pleasure or the
burst of reyolry?
No, there is a voice from the tomb
swoetcr than song. There is q romcm-
brance of the dead to which we turn
oven from the charms of the living
Oh! the gravel the gravel 1t burios
cvory error, covers every defect, exiting
uishes every resentment From its
peaceful bosom spring none but fond
regrets and tender rccollccGons. Who
can look down even upon the grave Of
an enemy, and not feel a compunctious
throb that he should ever have warrcd
with the poor handful of earth that lies
before him?
But the grave Of those wo loved
what a place for meditation! There il
is that we call up in long review the
whole history Of virtue and gontlencss
and the thousand ondoarmonts layishcd
upon us almost unhceded in the daily
intercourse Of intimacy; there is it that
we dwell upon the tenderness, the sol
emn, awful Tenderness Of the parting
scene, the bed of death, with all its sti-
fed grief, its noiseless attendance, its
mute, watohful assiduities.
The last testimonial of expiring love-
the feeble, Auttering, thrilling-oh! how
neutrality-suspicious. of the hand The
faint, faltering accents, struggling in
death to give one more assurance of
afectionl The last fond look Of the
glazing eye turning upon us from the
threshold Of existeneel Ay, 60 to the
grave Of buried love, and meditate!-
There settle the account with thy con
Iscience for every past benefit unrequited
every past endearment unregarded, of
that departed being, who can never
return 10 be sOOthed by Chy contrition
If thou art a child, and hast ever add
ed a sorrow to the soul, or a furrow to Tho
silver brow of an afectionate parent
if thou art a husband, and hast ever
caused the fond bosom that ventured itl
whole happiness in thy arms, to doub
for ono moment of thy kindness or thy
truth;--if thou art friend, and has
ever wronged in thought, or word Oh
deed, the spirit that generously confdeC
in thee;-if thou art lover, and has
ever given one unmorited pang to tha
true heart which now lies cold and still
beneath thy feot-then be sure that ev
cry unkind look, every ungracious word
. every ungentle action, will come throng
ing back upon the memory, and knocl
dolefully attho soul; then bo sure tina
, thou wilt lie down sorroWing and re
; pentant in the grave, and utter tho un
, heard groan, and pour the unuyailing
tear, more Deep more bitter, because
unheard and unavailing.
) Then weave tho chaplot Of flowers
and stIow the beauties of nature abou
the grave; console thy broken spirit, il
thou canst with those tonder yet futil,
) tributes Of r6gret but take warning of
this thy oonhite afliotion oFor the dead
and honoeforth be moro faithful and af
footionato ia lho discharge Of thy dutio
TO the living n