Virginia Argus

Lines sacred to the memory of Miss NANCY GILES BASS, who was burned in the house of her Brother, which was consumed by Fire on the night of the 12th of Jan. 1812.

And is the lovely Nancy gone ?
Her gentle spirit fled?
And is she snatched, so soon away,
To mingle with the dead ?—
Ah ! yes, she's gone, forever gone,
Her weeping friends reply ;
While from their throbbing breasts they heave
The melancholy sigh.

Oh! Muse relate,
Her mournful fate,
In numbers soft and slow;
For in such numbers sorrow loves to flow.

In social glee, she pass'd the day,
Fair as the morn, and sweet as May,
And felt no danger near:
But Ah ! how quick our pleasures fly!
Destruction, (tho'unseen) was nigh,
And marked her for the Bier.

In gentle sleep she seeks repose ;—
Her heart at rest ; no pain she knows ;
And soft her slumbers roll:
Who Could have thought that e'er 'twas light,
She'd take her everlasting light,
And reach her final goal

But ah! sweet Maid! 'twas Thine to expire
In cruel flames of raging fire,
In life's most blooming state :
In vain did weeping friends attend.
No help to thee could mortals lend,
To snatch thee from thy fate,

Alas! how soon life's thread is broke!
How sharp the point, how keen the stroke
Which bears Friends away !—
But hope attends them in their flight
To the fair realms of peerless light,
Of everlasting day.—

Long shall thy worth, in memory live,
This stone solace thy virtues give,
To those who lov'd thee here :
Farewell sweet Shade ! a long farewell !
With Kindred souls thou'rt gone to dwell,
Above this earthly sphere.

'Tis thus our friends who're doomed to die
From love's embrace, before us fly,
In vain we urge their stay :
Soon the same path we too must tread
Oh ! may we join the happy dead,
Who beckon us away!

URANIA.

Prince Edward.