Page:Landon in Literary Gazette 1822.pdf/31



Whose children died for liberty, was made More soft and touching by the patient smile Which piety had given the unearthly brow, Which Guido draws when he would form a saint Whose hopes are fixed on Heaven, but who has yet Some earthly feelings binding them to life. Her arm was leant upon a graceful Youth, The hope, the comfort of her widowhood; He was departing from her, and she led The youthful soldier to his father's tomb— As in the visible presence of the dead She gave her farewell blessing; and her voice Lost its so tremulous accents as she bade Her child tread in that father's steps, and told How brave, how honoured he had been. But when She did entreat him to remember all Her hopes were centered in him, that he was The stay of her declining years, that he Might be the happiness of her old age, Or bring her down with sorrow to the grave, Her words grew inarticulate, and sobs Alone found utterance; and he whose cheek Was flushed with eagerness, whose ardent eye Gave animated promise of the fame That would be his, whose ear already rang With the loud trumpet's war song, felt these dreams Fade for a moment, and almost renounced The fields he panted for, since they must cost Such tears as these. The churchyard left, they pass'd Down by a hawthorn hedge, where the sweet May Had showered its white luxuriance, intermixed With crimson clusters of the wilding rose, And linked with honeysuckle. O'er the path Many an ancient oak and stately elm Spread its green canopy. How 's eye Lingered on each familiar sight, as if Even to things inanimate he would bid A last farewell! They reached the cottage gate;