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92
GRAY'S POEMS.
Affection warm, and faith sincere, 5
And soft humanity were there.[N 1]
In agony, in death resign'd,[V 1]
She felt the wound she left behind,
Her infant image here below,
Sits smiling on a father's woe: 10
Whom what awaits, while yet he strays
Along the lonely vale of days?
A pang, to secret sorrow dear;
A sigh; an unavailing tear;
Till time shall every grief remove, 15
With life, with memory, and with love.
And soft humanity were there.[N 1]
In agony, in death resign'd,[V 1]
She felt the wound she left behind,
Her infant image here below,
Sits smiling on a father's woe: 10
Whom what awaits, while yet he strays
Along the lonely vale of days?
A pang, to secret sorrow dear;
A sigh; an unavailing tear;
Till time shall every grief remove, 15
With life, with memory, and with love.
Variants
- ↑ Var. V. 7-10. In agony, &c.]"To hide her cares her only art,
Her pleasure, pleasures to impart,
In ling'ring pain, in death resign'd,
Her latest agony of mind
Was felt for him, who could not save
His all from an untimely grave." MS.
Notes
- ↑ V. 6. "And soft humanity that from rebellion fled," Dryden. Thr. Aug. s. xii. "Bred to the rules of soft humanity," ditto All for Love, act ii. sc. i. Oh! soft humanity in age beloved," Pope. Epitaph ix. "The soft virtue of humanity," A. Smith, Mor. Sent. v. i. p. 310.