His dear Boy GEORGE; -the SECOND:
A LEGACY OF LOVE, THE FATHER FOND,
In sound and proudful spirit thus bequeaths.
MY little Box-second, but sole dear pledge Of love connubial, now alive to share The love and converse of the anxious hour!- Perhaps -for so prophetic fancy forms- (Fancy will hover o'er the future still, And frequent wing her unsuccessful flight Thro' airy realms where shapeless visions play; Without one shadowy cause or clue to guide Her wand'ring thought-as mine may now, And as I trust she doth; for oh, my Boy! Oft hath she quicken'd strong affection's fear, That sure attendant on o'er-weening love- Idle as impious-torturing while indulg'd), Long ere the fruit be ripe the tree shall fall! Perhaps yet idler dream! sole cherub e'er My arms may boast-unconscious as thou art What passes in thy partial father's mind,
What in his yearning beating heart he feels, As now he views thee in thy tender age All innocence and mirth, about or on His willing knee delighted climb and cling, O'erlooking as I write, yet reckless what, Or yet of whom the pregnant Muse may speak My lovely BOY!-with gen'rous pride I own These lays are thine:-which should'st thou live to read And well interpret (as I trust thou wilt, With credit to thyself and grace to me; As manhood shall on childishness arise, Judgment matur'd on undetermin'd sense, Till thy four years to fourscore shall extend; That age well-stricken, when reprieved man Shou'd neither ask or hope extended grace)- Then may'st thou from oblivion's page retrieve (By love illumin'd) the departed joy; Trace with a secret but exulting pride, A father's fond attachment to its source; Each little spring with raptur'd search explore, That swell'd itself into affection's sea- That sea unbounded!-yet extending still: Of thousand meeting, mingling comforts form'd, For love's sweet whole of many parts' compos'd; By more than past endearments still supplied: Recall to memory many a tender scene Of earliest life!-(Ah! life supremely blest! What word not erring age in guilt mature Give for the long lost transports of the child?)
Which from thy mind diverted so might 'scape That thought unaided never might review: As flies the started tear from childhood's eye When the sweet smile appeareth, and dispels At once the glist'ning dew-drop and the cause,- The sudden cause electrically caught On feeling's full-charg'd nerve-that sense most fine, By grief and joy alternately controul'd ;- Each by the other banish'd-as we see In April day, the sunshine and the shower- And yet no sooner banish'd than forgot:- So wilt thou find thy sports and frolics all, Thy looks, thy gestures! graceful and as sweet As summer scions wanton'd by the breeze, As the first opening blossoms of the spring :- Thy sage remarks uncommon to thy years, Thy shrewd surmises-observations quaint; Invented tales felicitously told;
The close-put question, hard to be explain'd- Yet ne'er abandon'd till it answer found, Answer explicit, satisfact'ry, full: With all those nameless interesting traits, By the quick sight of passion only seen, To breast of yearning parent only, dear! Traits-which observance common ne'er could trace, And therein failing, cannot e'en conceive Where simple nature gradually reveals Her spotless spirit; and the ductile mind
Takes from the forming hand its plastic form:- Yes! all of these thou wilt be pleas'd to find, Pass'd not unnotic'd 'fore a father's eye : Struck not unfelt the listening parent's ear : And hence my Bor, may truly ascertain The extent and value of his sire's regard : His present wishes and his future hopes! So may the binding bond 'twixt sire and son More closely strain-that soul-endearing tie Which round the union ne'er shou'd loosely sit; For passion warm but meagre comfort owns Not paid in kind, or thinking it return'd.-
Deep in my heart's dear core as now thou art; Deep as I trust thou wilt deserve to be, Or not deserving, GEORGE!-my heart will break ! Where thou wilt sit-for I shall ne'er essay To drive thee from thy guarded station there, Like an exulting ingrate o'er the wreck By thy misconduct driven and brought on ! Yet I'll divest me, far as in me lies Of blind attachment to thy tender state; Shake off the doating fancies of the brain, The partial fondness clinging to the heart, And view thee as a stranger, not a son: Note all thy merits with indifferent eye Sink in the future quite, the present good; And so my love and admonitions blend, That if but faithfully by thee observ'd
Shall make that future happy-happier L In bliss so perfect, to behold my Boy! To hear thee boast a father so advis'd,
To know thou hold'st his precepts passing dear, And in thy conduct see his plan complete!- Oh! may the autumn realize the spring, Oh may the harvest verify the hope, For fair is sure the prospect-fairer yet! Fair as the opening bud, Favonius wooes To fling its sweetness-swell its bosom's pride, E'er blighting Eurus check the garden's boast,, Contract, deform, and desolate the flower!- Nor mine alone the senses that have sat In fix'd attention on thee, ravish'd, pleas'd! Thy actions and thy prattle long will live The theme, the wonder, the delight of all To whom thy eccentricities were known!- Yes, he who reads but once, at once may readk And read aright the goodness of thy heart. Depicted past mistaking in thy face- That catching eye, more listening than thy ear,, That active mind all gentle, yet most strong; That suffers nought to pass unnotic'd by; Seldom unquestion'd-still minutely weigh'd! That fine true spirit-unprovok'd, serene As the smooth level of a summer's sea ;- Cross'd, as terrific as the winter's swell Meek as the dove, yet prouder than the swan!
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