JT-40-AN ELEGY,

AN ELEGY, On the death of Mrs. DIANA GOWDY, of Xenia, Ohio, daughter
of John and Elizabeth Morgan, of Shenandoah County. Va.
who departed this life October 10, 1829, in hope of a
happy immortality. Aged about 27 years.

O! help me muse to sing that worthy name,
And give her virtues to immortal fame,
That generations yet unborn may read:
The female graces all in he’ll agreed.

In infant years she was her parents’ pride,
No child so comely, nor so lov’d beside,
Her form her beauty and her nat’ral grace,
Were mostly perfect of the female race.
Kind nature dress’d her for her fairest child,
Beheld her kindling charms, and fondly smil’d;
She stored the virtues in her youthful breast,
And seem’d content that she was thus possess’d.

She was accomplish’d with politest mien,
In all her movements elegance was seen,
Her modest worth and cultivated mind,
Bespoke her plainly, polisli’d and refin’d.

As flowing lilies, and the opening rose,
Expand their blushes when the zephyr blows,
And pour their charming beauties on the sight,
And give the raptur’d soul supreme delight;
So were a thousand charms upon her plac’d,
None were so beauteous--so supremely grac’d,
She was the pride and toast of all the fair,
And all delight in her presence there.

She was not careless of that better part,
That lifts the soul and purifies the heart,
She learned her Savior, and his laws obeyed,
And safe in heaven her future hope she laid;
Her soul was pious, innocent and mild,
To heaven related, nor by earth beguiled.

In her full blown arrived her bridal day,
Her consort lived in regions far away,
Few days were I passed, she left her native lands,
And took her distant home where Xenia stands.

She graced the station of a virtuous wife,
And lived remote from vanity and strife;
With generous hand she often blest the poor,
Who sought a pittance at her parlor door,
Her name was honored, and her name was dear,
And sounded sweet in every listening ear,
She was too good on earth to be confined,
Her soul was fit with angels to be joined.

Her bridal years were few--they roll’d away,
And brought distress, a mournful weeping day;
Stern death approach’d, and in his arms she slept.
Her husband, friends, and distant strangers wept,
She left a husband drowned in flowing tears,
And solemn gloom ’mong num’rous friends appears;
No time, nor place, can wipe away the grief,
That bursted from their hearts without relief.
O! dreadful day! that saw her buried deep
In silent dust! how did spectators weep;
And while their streaming tears fell from their eyes,
Her soul ascended to the upper sides.

What anguish wrung her tender parents’ breasts,
When first they heard, "in dust Diana rests;"
Their house was fill’d with mourning and with gloom,
Far from Diana’s sacred honored tomb!
Could they have wept around her dying bed.
Could they have seen her lying pale and dead,
Could they have walked the solemn fun’ral stop,
And seen the spot where their Diana slept!
They could have borne their grief with less despair,
To bid farewell to dear Diana there!

She calmly died, her eyes were clos’d in peace,
And all her sorrows in one moment cease;
The angels met her at death’s iron door,
And safe conveyed her to the heavenly shore!
Methinks she mounted on celestial wings,
And there with Christians and with seraphs sings!
Why weep ye, parents? Your Diana stands,
Enrolled in glory in celestial lands;
Your child has left a painful world below,
And found a land where living pleasures flow.

No fell disease to fade her beauty there,
No parting pains, nor world’s distressing care,
She dwells in peace--o’er tyrant death she reigns,
And wears her crown in heaven’s supernal plains.