The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 1, July 1837Various
History
The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 1, July 1837
Various
Periodicals
Comfort Makepeace died lamented, and, as in a thousand other cases,
the deceased acquired more honor than the living had gained respect.
One, of his strongly-marked character, could hardly expect to
pass through life without experiencing the bitterness of enmity.
Yet his uncompromising independence and stern integrity won for
him a reverence among his fellow men, which few, devoid of those
qualities, ever receive. The confirmed austerity of his manners did
not permit him to enjoy the delights of friendship, or to appreciate
its value. The bigoted illiberality with which his religious
sentiments were marked, suited not the character of so late an age;
but the unimpeachable honesty of his faith insured it from obvious
disrespect. Long and loud were his dying lamentations over the faults
of the age, and not less particularly over the best hope that the
rites and observances of the puritans would be perpetuated in his own
family.
W. A. B.
MY MOTHER'S GRAVE.
'If e'er the blest to earth descend,
O come, my mother and my friend,
And GOD by thee will comfort send,
To cheer this gloom!
EPITAPH IN A COUNTRY CHURCH-YARD.
MY Mother! o'er thy lowly grave
The stormy winds may blow,
And spreading branches rudely wave,
Nor break thy rest below.
The bird that mounts on joyous wing,
To hail the rising day,
Though sweet the careless warbler sing,
Pours not for thee his lay!
The stranger, as with pensive eye,
He scans thy burial-stone,
May heave, perchance, a transient sigh
For sorrows of his own;
But few of all the friendly band
Who smiled thy face to see,
Untouched by the Destroyer's hand,
Remain to think of thee!
Yet often, mingling with the crowd
Who thronged yon house of prayer,
In humble posture thou hast bowed,
And loved to worship there.
The solemn notes of sacred lays
Which through those arches rung,
Once filled thy heart with grateful praise,
And trembled on thy tongue!
And oft thy sympathizing breast
The passing tribute gave,
As lightly on the turf thou pressed,
Which covers now thy grave!
I stood beside the hallowed ground,
That marks thy resting-place,
When rolling years had soothed the wound
Which Time can ne'er efface.
And scenes a mother's kindness wove,
When life and hope were new,
Bearing the record of her love,
Came rising to my view:
I thought on all thy tender care,
Thy nature sweet and mild,
Which used my little griefs to share,
And blessed me when a child.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account