36 MEMOIR OF DR. GOD MAN. 



For what is pain, if Thou art nigh its bitterness to quell ? 

 And where death's boasted victory, his last triumphant 



spell ? 



Saviour! in that hour when mortal strength is nought, 

 When nature's agony comes on, and every anguished thought 

 Springs in the breaking heart a source of darkest woe, 

 Be nigh unto my soul, nor permit the floods o'erflow. 

 To Thee, to Thee alone ! dare I raise my dying eyes ; 

 Thou didst for all atone, by Thy wondrous sacrifice ; 

 Oh ! in Thy mercy's richness, extend Thy smiles on me, 

 And let my soul outspeak Thy praise, throughout eternity!" 



Beneath the above stanzas, in the manuscript 

 alluded to, is the following note : " Rather more 

 than a year has elapsed since the above was first 

 written. Death is now certainly nearer at hand; 

 but my sentiments remain unchanged, except that 

 my reliance on the Saviour is stronger/' 



It was a melancholy sight to witness the prema- 

 ture extinction of such a spirit; yet the dying couch 

 on which genius, and virtue, and learning thus lay 

 prostrated, beamed with more hallowed lustre, and 

 taught a more salutary lesson, than could have been 

 imparted by the proudest triumphs of intellect. The 

 memory of Dr. Godman, his blighted promise and 

 his unfinished labours, will long continue to call forth 

 the vain regrets of men of science and learning. 

 There are those who treasure up in their hearts, as a 

 more precious recollection, his humble faith and his 

 triumphant death, and who can meet with an eye 

 of pity the scornful glance of the scoffer and the 

 infidel, at being told that if Dr. Godman was a phi- 

 losopher, he was also a Christian. 



