How fondly will She then repay
Thy homage offered at her shrine,
And blend, while Ages roll away,
Her name immortally with thine!

April 19th, 1812.

MONODY ON THE DEATH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE R. B. SHERIDAN.

Spoken at Drury Lane Theatre.

WHEN the last sunshine of expiring day
In summer's twilight weeps itself away,
Who hath not felt the softness of the hour
Sink on the heart, as dew along the flower?
With a pure feeling which absorbs and awes
While Nature makes that melancholy pause,
Her breathing moment on the bridge where Time

Of light and darkness forms an arch sublime,

Who hath not shared that calm so still and deep, A

The voiceless thought which would not speak but

weep,

A holy concord-and a bright regret,

A glorious sympathy with suns that set?
"Tis not harsh sorrow-but a tenderer woe,

Nameless, but dear to gentle hearts below,
Felt without bitterness-but full and clear,
A sweet dejection-a transparent tear

Unmixed with worldly grief or selfish stain,

Shed without shame and secret without pain.

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Even as the tenderness that hour instils

When Summer's day declines along the hills, 20 So feels the fulness of our heart and eyes.

When all of Genius which can perish dies.

A mighty Spirit is eclipsed-a Power

Hath passed from day to darkness-to whose hour Of light no likeness is bequeathed—no name,

Focus at once of all the rays of Fame!

The flash of Wit the bright Intelligence,

The beam of Song-the blaze of Eloquence,
Set with their Sun-but still have left behind
The enduring produce of immortal Mind;
Fruits of a genial morn, and glorious noon,
A deathless part of him who died too soon.
But small that portion of the wondrous whole,
These sparkling segments of that circling soul,
Which all embraced-and lightened over all,
To cheer-to pierce-to please-or to appal.
From the charmed council to the festive board,

Of human feelings the unbounded lord ;

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In whose acclaim the loftiest voices vied,

The praised-the proud-who made his praise their

pride.

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'When the loud cry of trampled Hindostan

Arose to Heaven in her appeal from man,

His was the thunder-his the avenging rod,

The wrath-the delegated voice of God!

Which shook the nations through his lips-and

blazed

Till vanquished senates trembled as they praised.

And here, oh! here, where yet all young and

warm

The gay creations of his spirit charm,

The matchless dialogue-the deathless wit,

Which knew not what it was to intermit;

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