WRITTENSOONAFTERTHEPRECEDINGPOEM
writtensoonaftertheprecedingpoem
thoushould'sthavelongerliv'd,andtothegrave
havepeacefullygonedowninfulloldage!
thychildrenwouldhavetendedthygrayhairs.
wemighthavesat,aswehaveoftendone,
byourfireside,andtalk'dwholenightsaway,
oldtimes,oldfriends,andoldeventsrecalling;
withmanyacircumstance,oftrivialnote,
tomemorydear,andofimportancegrown.
howshallwetelltheminastranger'sear?
awaywardsonofttimeswasitothee;
andyet,inallourlittlebickerings,
domesticjars,therewas,iknownotwhat,
oftenderfeeling,thatwereillexchang'd
forthisworld'schillingfriendships,andtheirsmiles
familiar,whomtheheartcallsstrangersstill.
aheavylothathhe,mostwretchedman!
wholivesthelastofallhisfamily.
helooksaroundhim,andhiseyediscerns
thefaceofthestranger,andhisheartissick.
manoftheworld,whatcanstthoudoforhim?
wealthisaburden,whichhecouldnotbear;
mirthastrangecrime,thewhichhedaresnotact;
andwinenocordial,butabittercup.
forwoundslikehischrististheonlycure,
andgospelpromisesarehisbyright,
fortheseweregiventothepoorinheart.
go,preachthoutohimofaworldtocome,
wherefriendsshallmeet,andknoweachother'sface.
saylessthanthis,andsayittothewinds.
october,1797.