EPITAPH UPON THE YEAR 1806. HON. WILLIAM R. SPENCER. DIS gone, with its thorns and its roses, Time's charnel for ever encloses Though many may question thy merit, Thy portion of sunshine and storm! My blame and my blessing thou sharest, That ever have shone on my heart. 314 EPITAPH UPON THE YEAR 1806. If thine was a gloom the completest One hand gave the balmy corrector 'Tis gone, with its thorns and its roses! With mine, tears more precious will mix, To hallow this midnight which closes The year Eighteen hundred and six. WIFE, CHILDREN, AND FRIENDS. HON. WILLIAM R. SPENCER. HEN the black-lettered list to the gods was presented (The list of what Fate for each mortal intends), At the long string of ills a kind goddess relented, And slipt in three blessings-wife, children, and friends. In vain surely Pluto maintained he was cheated, For earth becomes heav'n with wife, children, and friends. 316 WIFE, CHILDREN, AND FRIENDS. If the stock of our bliss is in stranger hands vested, Let the breath of renown ever freshen and cherish The laurel which o'er her dead favourite bends, O'er me wave the willow, and long may it flourish, Bedewed with the tears of wife, children, and friends. Let us drink-for my song, growing graver and graver, To subjects too solemn insensibly tends; Let us drink-pledge me high;-Love and Virtue shall flavour The glass which I fill to wife, children, and friends. |