Answer to a Beautiful Poem Written by Montgomery, Author of 'The Wanderer in Switzerland,' etc. Entitled 'The Common Lot'

1. 1Montgomery! true, the common lot
2. 2Of mortals lies in Lethe's wave;
3. 3Yet some shall never be forgot,
4. 4Some shall exist beyond the grave.

1. 5"Unknown the region of his birth,"
2. 6The hero rolls the tide of war;
3. 7Yet not unknown his martial worth,
4. 8Which glares a meteor from afar.

1. 9His joy or grief, his weal or woe,
2. 10Perchance may 'scape the page of fame;
3. 11Yet nations, now unborn, will know
4. 12The record of his deathless name.

1. 13The Patriot's and the Poet's frame
2. 14Must share the common tomb of all:
3. 15Their glory will not sleep the same;
4. 16That will arise, though Empires fall.

1. 17The lustre of a Beauty's eye
2. 18Assumes the ghastly stare of death;
3. 19The fair, the brave, the good must die,
4. 20And sink the yawning grave beneath.

1. 21Once more, the speaking eye revives,
2. 22Still beaming through the lover's strain;
3. 23For Petrarch's Laura still survives:
4. 24She died, but ne'er will die again.

1. 25The rolling seasons pass away,
2. 26And Time, untiring, waves his wing;
3. 27Whilst honour's laurels ne'er decay,
4. 28But bloom in fresh, unfading spring.

1. 29All, all must sleep in grim repose,
2. 30Collected in the silent tomb;
3. 31The old, the young, with friends and foes,
4. 32Fest'ring alike in shrouds, consume.

1. 33The mouldering marble lasts its day,
2. 34Yet falls at length an useless fane;
3. 35To Ruin's ruthless fangs a prey,
4. 36The wrecks of pillar'd Pride remain.

1. 37What, though the sculpture be destroy'd,
2. 38From dark Oblivion meant to guard;
3. 39A bright renown shall be enjoy'd,
4. 40By those, whose virtues claim reward.

1. 41Then do not say the common lot
2. 42Of all lies deep in Lethe's wave;
3. 43Some few who ne'er will be forgot
4. 44Shall burst the bondage of the grave.