62 MR. HOWARD'S ACCOUNT OF LAZARETTOS. For when the vanities of life's brief day High o'er the wrecks of time, shall live alone THE GRAVE OF HOWARD. SPIRIT of Death! whose outstretch'd pennons dread Mid shrieks, and cries, and sounds of dire dismay; A form more terrible, an ampler plume; He, who, sustain'd by Virtue's arm sublime, And Mercy ceases from her awful toil! 'Twas where the pestilence at thy command Arose to desolate the sick'ning land, When many a mingl'd cry and dying pray'r When deep dismay heard not the frequent knell, 'Twas there, with holy Virtue's awful mien, Calm he was found: the dews of death he dry'd; Friend of mankind! thy righteous task is o'er; The heart, that throbb'd with pity, beats no more. Around the limits of this rolling sphere, Where'er the just and good thy tale shall hear, A tear shall fall: alone, amidst the gloom Of the still dungeon, his long sorrow's tomb, The captive, mourning o'er his chain, shall bend To think the cold earth holds his only friend! |