Christmas at the hall

To Samuel Wilderspin, Esq., The Founder of Infant Schools, The Promoter of General Education, And a Friend of Liberty and Truth: This little volume is affectionately inscribed b...

The morn was gloomy, and the russet earth Gave to the eye a landscape drear and dim; The clouds, low hung, seemed resting on the hills Fraught with unusual weight, and cast arou...

How oft man looks for happiness afar, Amid loud tumult, or the din of war; O’er foreign lands, through distant climes, he’ll roam To win that pleasure he may gain at home.

No Muses haunt Parnassus’ lofty mount, Nor wander on by Castalie’s pure stream; Whose waters welling from their crystal fount Blushed with the light of heaven’s entrancing beam....

Throughout the strain a mournful sadness breathed, Yet mixed with elevated hope, and made All bosoms move in sympathy, and eyes Suffuse themselves with tears. But not of grief A...

Bear on the Hero to his resting place, The tomb of honour that his deeds have won; His glorious obsequies the nations grace, And million hearts are beating now as one. Hark! to...

Oh Wilderspin! I would attune the harp Of sweetest poesy to tell thee how, With heart and spirit, I esteem the work And labour of thy life! no harsher sound Than softest music w...

But bright morning comes, and the wild wind veers, The huge waves die away, And mid the lost rage of the surf he steers Right home through the well-known bay.

Oh! deep is our sorrow, Anguish and woe, No more to behold thee, Loved one, below; All the rich promise Thy sweet childhood gave, Blighted for ever. Cut short by the grave! Well...