Death & Dying

On the Death of Dr Burgess, the Late Bishop of Salisbury

by William Lisle Bowles 1762–1850

From Poems, Inedited, Unpublished, &c.

Death & Dying

Sainted old man, for more than eighty years,
Thee--tranquilly and stilly-creeping--age,
Led to the confines of the sepulchre,
And thy last day on earth--but "Father--Lord--
Which art in heaven"--how pure a faith, and heart
Unmoved, amid the changes of this life,
And tumult of the world,--and oh! what hope,--
What love and constancy of the calm mind,
And tears to misery from the inmost heart
Flowing--at times, a brief sweet smile and voice
How bland, and studies, various and profound,
Of learned languages--but, ever first,
That learning which the oracles of God
Unfolds, even to the close of life's long day
Thy course accompanies!
But, thou, farewell,
And live--this mortal veil removed--in bliss;
Live with the saints in light, whom Christ had loved.
But pardon us, left in this vale of tears,
For one last tear upon thy cold remains--
Pardon, beloved and venerated shade!

MLA

Bowles, William Lisle. “On the Death of Dr Burgess, the Late Bishop of Salisbury.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/bowles/170/.

Chicago

Bowles, William Lisle. “On the Death of Dr Burgess, the Late Bishop of Salisbury.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/bowles/170/.

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