MISCELLANEOUS

POEMS,

Some of which are in the

CUMBERLAND DIALECT.

By JOHN STAGG,

Hail, holy light! offspring of Heav'n first-born!

Thee I revifit fafe,

And feel thy fovereign vital lamp; but thou
Revifit'ft not these eyes, that roll in vain
To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;
So thick a drop ferene hath quench'd their orbs,
Or dim fuffufion viel'd. Yet not the more

Cease I to wander, where the Mufes haunt.

MILTON.

SECOND EDITION.

WORKINGTON:

PRINTED BY W. BORROWDALE,

In the Market Place.

ORIGINAL POETRY,

HA

AN ELEGY.

ARK where yon fadly, mournful, paffing bell, Burfts on the gale with melancholy toll; 'Tis forrow's voice, that deeply awfull knell, That fummon's hence the fair Celeftia's foul.

Ah fhe is gone! thou Mufe of Sorrow weep;
Her lofs with grateful fympathy deplore;
Heave penfive heart, ye eyes in torrents fteep,
The good, the bleft Celeftia is no more,

Oh cruel death! nor yet to her fevere,
But to furviving relatives unkind;

Thy mandate she with fortitude could bear,
Thy fhafts alone pierce thofe fhe left behind.

To her no fhare of poignant woe was given,
In being exil'd from this drear abode;
She left this world, to join her kindred heaven
With fifter-angels and her Parent God.

Kind Providence that fees and governs all,

Beheld her fuff'rings, nor beheld in vain ; He fummon'd: chearful fhe obey'd the call, And left for endless blifs a life of pain.

Pure was her life, and spotlefs was her mind,
Her heart unbiafs'd, and her judgment clear;
To Heav'n alone her heart was ftill refign'd;
Her actions gen'rous and her words fincere.

The famifh'd ftranger and the child of want,
Her kind benevolence has oft reliev'd;
At Pity's call the ready tear fhe'd grant,

At life's fad woes her tender bofom heav'd.

And thou, O Mufe! with fympathetic heart,
Would fum her merits in imperfect lays;
In her benevolence thou had'st a part,

A part that claims thy pity and thy praise.

But foft: calm reafon calls; forbear to mourn,

Nor dare divine Omniscience to offend;

Who gave, may fure exact a just return,
Still to the virtuous Heaven will be a friend.

As long as memory in me fhall live,

Will I regret the fad and fatal day,

A tributary tear to her I'll give,

Ne'er fhall her lovly image fade away!

Kind Heav'n no fooner blefs'd me with a friend,
A real friend; (ineftimable ftore!)

Than death, relentless, did his rage extend,

And with rudc hands the bonds of friendship tore.

OCCASIONAL REFLECTIONS.

HAT fragrant odours fcent the gale,

Diffus'd from yon fair blushing rofe'; What fweets the various flowers exhale, What grand, what lively dies disclose.

How fweetly fmiles th' autumnal year,
Whilft fruitage crowns the fertile lawn;
Serene the azure heavens appear,

And warbling fongfters hail the dawn.

Hufh'd are the winds, fave where the breeze.
Refreshing fans the fober fhade,

And murm'ring through the waving trees,
With coolness chears the fultry glade.

The charms of chearfulness extend
O'er all creations ample plain :
Each grateful creature feems to lend
Concurrence to the thankful train.

The pinion'd warblers of the grove,
That fimply flutter on the spray,
Infpir'd by gratitude and love,

Pour forth in praise their warbling lay.