24$' p<iT;tn. Aii^. 22» 



Wiio, tiien, my child ! will guide thy tcm!er years, 

 AnJ gently lead thee through this vale of tears ? 

 Frnm penury and want who will thee sive. 

 When both thy parents sleep in death's cold grave ' 



Fatal, perhaps, thy op'ning charms may prove. 

 Thy cheeks soft crimson, and milJ eye of love, 

 V/hen thou has^ no friend to protect thy youth. 

 To teach thee spoclefs innocence and truth. 



Thpse thoughts with wild emotions throb my breast,. 

 And deep dfspiir deprivps my soul of rest; 

 Th?s: thoughts, O death ! add horror to thy dart. 

 And thrills, with anguilh keen a mother's heart. 



Religion come, and chear afHiction's hour. 

 Ah let my bleeding bosom feel thy pow'r ! 

 Teach me, resign'^, to view approaching death, 

 And yield withcut regret to heav'n my breath. 



My God, though this frail form will s'nk in dust. 

 Still in thv arm, all powerful ! will I trust ; 

 Thou art the orphan's fli'eld, the widow's sray. 

 And thou my babe wiJt guide in virtue's way. 



ELVINA. 



LINES WRITTEN BY VOLTAIRE ON HIS DEATH BED, 

 SUPPOSED TO-BE THE LAST THING HE EVER. WROTE-. 



'J DiEu qu'on mecconoit 



O Dieu que tout annoncej 

 Entend le dernier mot, 



Qne ma bouche prononce: 

 Si je me suis trompe, 



C'est en cherchant ta loij 

 Mon ccsur se peut egarer, 



Mais il est plein de toi. 

 Je vois sans m'allarraer, 



L'e^ernitc paroitrc j 

 Et je ne pu'S penser, 



Q\in Dieu que m'a fait naitre, 

 Q\in Dieu que sur m^s jours 



Versa lant de bie ifaic, 

 Quand les jours sont eceints, 



Me tourmcnte a jamais. 



