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250 CYNTHIA TAGGART. 

INVOCATION TO HEALTH. 

O HEALTH, thy succoring aid extend
While low, with bleeding heart, I bend, 
And on thine every means attend, 
And sue with streaming eyes; 
But more remote thou fliest away, 
The humbler I thine influence pray, 
And expectation dies. 

Twice three long years of life have gone, 
Since thy loved presence was withdrawn, 
And I to grief resigned; 
Laid on the couch of lingering pain, 
Where stern disease's torturing chain 
Has every limb confined. 

And seperate form the household band, 
Disconsolate and lone, 
With no sweet converse's social charm 
One pain imperious to disarm, 
Or quell the rising moan; 
I lie in hopeless doom to grieve, 
While no kind office can relieve, 
Nor can. I sustenance receive 
But from another's hand. 

While anguish veils the body o'er, 
And balmy sleep is known no more, 
And every thought that thrills the brain 
Gives frantic energy to pain, 
And the cold dewdrops copious drain 
Through every opening, rending pore. 

Health! wilt thou not, for the black stream 
That bears keen poison through the veins, 

CYNTHIA TAGGART. 251 

A cordial swift prepare?
Bring back their own bridge crimson glow,
And the true circulating flow, 
And mitigate despair?

Once more my pleadings I renew,
And with my parting breath I sue,
Goaded by potent pain, 
By all the pangs of wasting life, 
By gasping nature's chilling strife, 
To gain one lingering view 
Of thy fair aspect, mildly sweet, 
And kiss from off thine airy feet 
The healing drops of dew.

O bathe my burning temples now, 
And cool the scorching of my brow, 
And light the rayless eye; 
My strength revive with thine own might 
And with thy footsteps firm and light, 
O bear me to thy radiant height, 
Where, soft reposing, lie 
Mild peace, and happiness, and joy, 
And Nature's sweets that never cloy, 
Unmixed with direful pain's alloy; 
Leave me not thus to die! 

AUTUMN. 

Now Autumn tints the scene 
With sallow hues and dim; 
And o'er the sky 
Fast hurrying, fly 
Dark sombre clouds, that pour 
Form far the roaring din;