.Nw.ODYx

109 Elegy to the Memory of a favourite Dog [13 flourishes]

How frail alas! is Beauty's beast, How short its energid power! The frost, unfelt by baneful weeds, Destroys the fairest flower. No more avails sweet innocence To save devoted life! The Lamb for mercy pleads in vain Beneath the uplift knife. Could beauty move, could innocence The hand of fate disarm; Could sorrow from the grave recall; My Juba still would charm. But tho thy lovely eyes are closed In everlasting night! And the dark grave forever shut My Juba from any sight! The undistinguihid dust is now Thy only dear remains! Yet shall my fond my faithful heart, Thy image still retain Off to thy cold, thy lonely grave, I mournful will [crossed out appear] repair And shed in memory of our loves A tributary tear.