Martinsburg Gazette And Public Advertiser

From the National Gazette.

Lines written on New Years Day, 1830.

'Tis past—even as a silent thought,

Another year hath passed away.

Gone—like full many a hope it brought,

A thing of yesterday.

The buds of Spring—bright Summer's flowers;

Deep tinted Autumn's golden store,

Are withered into blighted bowers,

And Winter comes once more.

And high resolves—smiles—wishes—tears—

And Love and Joy's ecstatic train,

Have sunk in the abyss of years,

Never to rise again!

Oh, who without soul sickening sighs

Can trace the dimly parted past.

As dreams of vanished bliss arise—

Visions that could not last!

To hearts, by grief too deeply proved,

The softened memories that come,

Of severed friends, still warmly loved,

Childhood, and youth, and home.

And who may sing thy dirge, lost year,

Thy bright blued scenes and changes shew;

Tell of lost hopes and bosoms sere—

Thy hundred tales of woe!

Go—where the board is brightest set,

Where smiles and laughing eyes appear,

Whisper to fond and fair ones met

The changes of a year!

Another year! aye, even there,

Where lavish beauty flings her spell,

The silent hearth—the vacant chair—

A saddening tale may tell.

Alas! for all the young and gay,

Soon, soon to chill in earth's cold strife,

For the thousand happy hearts to day

Just bounding into life.

For me—I speak not—think not—now

Of what is left—what hath been taken;

But, gazing on that noble brow,

Feel faith and love unshaken.

And, musing on all time hath done,

Of its perished hopes, and hearts-estranged,

Mine is the joy to know that one—

Still one remains unchanged.

And if ills may come, and storms may lower,

The future as the past may be—

Welcome Age's wintry hour,

Thou art left to me.

Jany, 1830.