Poem by Mary Robinson

Elegy to the Memory of Richard Boyle, Esq.

NEAR yon bleak mountain’s dizzy height, 
That hangs o’er AVON’s silent wave; 
By the pale Crescent’s glimm’ring light, 
I sought LORENZO’s lonely grave. 

O’er the long grass the silv’ry dew, 
Soft Twilight’s tears spontaneous shone; 
And the dank bough of baneful yew 
Supply’d the place of sculptured stone. 

Oft, as my trembling steps drew near, 
The a”ery voice of FANCY gave 
The plaint of GENIUS to mine ear, 
That, lingering, murmur’d on his grave. 

”Cold is that heart, where honour glow’d, 
And Friendship’s flame sublimely shone, 
And clos’d that eye where Pity flow’d, 
For ev’ry suff’ring but HIS OWN. 

”That form where youth and grace conspir’d, 
To captivate admiring eyes, 
No more belov’d, no more admir’d, 
A torpid mass neglected lies. 

”Mute is the music of that tongue, 
Once tuneful as the voice of love, 
When ORPHEUS, by his magic song, 
Taught trees, and flinty rocks to move. 

”Oft shall the pensive MUSE be found, 
Sprinkling with flow’rs his mould’ring clay; 
While soft-eyed SORROW wand’ring round, 
Shall pluck intruding weeds away.” 

Sad victim of the sordid mind, 
That doom’d THEE to an early grave; 
Ne’er shall HER breast that pity find, 
Which thy forgiveness nobly gave! 

Thou, who, when SORROW’S icy hand 
Forbad the healthsome pulse to flow, 
Obedient to HER stern command, 
With meek submission bow’d thee low! 

And when thy faded cheek proclaim’d 
The thorn that rankled in thy breast, 
Thy steady soul that pride maintain’d, 
Which marks the godlike mind distress’d! 

Nor was thy mental strength subdu’d, 
When HOPE’s last ling’ring shadows fled, 
Unchang’d, thy dauntless spirit view’d 
The dreary confines of the dead! 

And when thy penetrating mind, 
Life’s thorny maze presum’d to scan, 
In ev’ry path condemn’d to find 
”The low ingratitude of man.” 

Indignant would’st thou turn away, 
And smiling raise thy languid eye, 
And oft thy feeble voice would say, 
”TO ME ’TIS HAPPINESS TO DIE.”

And tho’ thy FRIEND, I with skilful art, 
To heal thy woes, each balm apply’d; 
Tho’ the fine feelings of his heart, 
Nor cost nor studious care deny’d! 

He saw the fatal hour draw near, 
He saw THEE fading to the grave; 
He gave his last kind gift, A TEAR, 
And mourn’d the worth he could not save. 

Nor could the ruthless breath of FATE 
Snatch from thy grave the tender sigh; 
Nor a relentless monster’s hate 
Impede thy passage to the sky. 

And tho’ no kindred tears were shed, 
No tribute to thy memory giv’n; 
Sublime in death, thy spirit fled, 
To seek its best reward IN HEAVEN!

1. Sonnet 14. Come, Soft Aeolian Harp
2. The Faded Bouquet
3. Elegy to the Memory of Werter
4. Ode to Reflection
5. The Lascar

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