RETIRED
THOUGHTS
TO
A
DEPARTED
INFANT
.
Go
,
first
,
sweet
hope
!
to
thine
own
Heaven
succeed
,
While
here
thy
mother's
heart
must
ever
bleed
,
Must
ever
mourn
,
till
that
auspicious
day
That
lays
me
where
thy
much-lov'd
ashes
lay
.
This
lonely
hour
my
sorrows
reach
no
ear
,
This
lonely
hour
no
eye
beholds
this
tear
;
My
angel
!
thou
from
thy
resplendent
throne
Oh
!
take
this
moment
,
it
is
all
thine
own
;
Spite
of
religious
aid
my
wishes
rise
,
Ah
!
me
!
how
weak
to
wish
thee
from
the
skies
!
Sometimes
(
delusion
strong
)
I
see
thee
smile
,
I
hear
thy
lisping
voice
my
cares
beguile
,
And
fancy
wandering
(
how
remote
from
truth
)
Surveys
thee
blooming
in
the
pride
of
youth
;
Beholds
thee
all
a
mother
can
implore
;
Reason
returns
,
and
says
,
thou
art
no
more
!
Ah
!
sad
remembrance
,
why
exert
thy
power
,
Why
,
why
recal
the
past
endearing
hour
,
When
thy
sweet
frame
upon
my
breast
repos'd
,
And
opening
beauty
every
look
disclos'd
?
Each
happier
mother
,
vain
of
her
delight
,
Still
,
still
obtrudes
her
darling
on
my
sight
;
Then
in
the
harmless
smile
,
the
feeble
cry
,
I
hear
the
voice
,
I
see
thy
languid
eye
:
Oh
!
still
my
child
,
if
in
thy
perfect
state
,
Thou
hast
a
knowledge
of
my
suffering
fate
,
In
gentle
dreams
thy
beauteous
form
display
,
And
bring
me
tidings
from
the
realms
of
day
;
Tell
thy
sad
mother
when
the
hour
draws
near
,
That
we
shall
meet
,
nor
other
parting
fear
;
And
Heaven
,
still
gracious
to
the
mourning
kind
,
Oh
!
deign
to
send
me
peace
,
a
will
resign'd
;
Save
me
from
murmurs
at
thy
high
decree
,
And
teach
my
heart
,
that's
best
that
pleases
thee
.