Anna Seward

Not the slow Hearse, where nod the sable plumes, ____The Parian Statue, bending o'er the Urn, ____The dark robe floating, the dejection worn ____On the dropt eye, and lip no smile illumes; Not all this pomp of sorrow, that presumes ____It pays Affection's debt, is due concern ____To the FOR EVER ABSENT, tho' it mournFashion's allotted time. If Time consumes, While Life is ours, the precious vestal-flame ____Memory shou'd hourly feed;__f, thro' each day, ____She with whate'er we see, hear, think, or say, Blend not the image of the vanish'd Frame, ____O! can the alien Heart expect to prove, In worlds of light and life, a reunited love!

When Death, or adverse Fortune's ruthless gale,Tears our best hopes away, the wounded HeartExhausted, leans on all that can impartThe charm of Sympathy; her mutual wailHow soothing! never can her warm tears failTo balm our bleeding grief's severest smart;Nor wholly vain feign'd Pity's solemn art,Tho' we should penetrate her sable veil.Concern, e'en known to be assum'd, our painsRespecting, kinder welcome far acquiresThan cold Neglect, or Mirth that Grief profanes.Thus each faint Glow-worm of the Night conspires,Gleaming along the moss'd and darken'd lanes,To cheer the Gloom with her unreal fires.