On the Death of a Friend.
Friend after friend departs ;1
Who hath not lost a friend ?2
There is no union here of hearts3
That finds not here an end ;4
Were this frail world our final rest,5
Living or dying none were blest.6
Beyond the flight of
time,—7
Beyond the reign of
death,—8
There surely is some blessed clime9
Where life is not a breath ;10
Nor life’s affections, transient fire,11
Whose sparks fly upwards and expire.12
There is a world above,13
Where parting is unknown ;14
A long eternity of love,15
Form’d for the good alone ;16
And faith beholds the dying, here,17
Translated to that glorious sphere !18
Thus star by star declines,19
Till all are past away ;20
As morning high and higher shines,21
To pure and perfect day ;22
Nor sink those stars in empty night,23
But hide themselves in heaven’s own light.24