Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE UNFORTUNATE GENTLEMAN, by CORNELIUS WHUR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE UNFORTUNATE GENTLEMAN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: He, whose warm hand had often pressed
Last Line: Who now belongst to me!
Subject(s): Death; Poisons And Poisoning; Rest; Dead, The


[Some time since the writer was introduced to a gentleman, who politely
requested his acceptance of a handsome walking-stick, giving him at the same
time its interesting history, which is as follows: It had been the property, and
daily companion of a gentleman (a member of the Church of England), who although
a layman, most laudably employed several evenings in each week preaching to, and
instructing the peasantry in different cottages in his neighbourhood. This
gentleman, upon a certain occasion, gathered what he supposed to be mushrooms,
in eating which, himself, a sister, and a little boy were
poisoned.—AUTHOR'S NOTE.]

HE, whose warm hand had often pressed
Thy smoothly rounded head,
Is where the "weary are at rest,"
There hath thine owner fled. ...

And often as he leaned on thee
In copse, or flowery glen;
O! did he not in vision see
The wretchedness of men?

At other times, when lifting thee
In gay and curving swing,
'Twas his a brighter scene to see
And of that scene to sing.

Good as thou art, he clearly knew,
Although thou wast his stay,
Thy virtues would recede from view,
Thyself fall in decay. ...

But in a dark and trying hour
(Man hath his days of woe!),
He found in vegetable power
A dreadful, deadly foe!

His heart corroded—sank to rest,
No more to ope life's way;
His hand no longer on thee pressed,
Thyself no more his stay!

He resteth where the nettles spring,
Not having aid from thee;
On that account I of thee sing,
Who now belongst to me!





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