Israel's Lament

'A Hebrew Dirge, chaunted in the Great Synagogue, St. James's Place, Aldgate, on the day of the Funeral of her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte. By Hyman Hurwitz, Master of the Hebrew Academy, Highgate: with a Translation in English Verse,

by S. T. Coleridge, Esq., 1817.'
  1. 1Mourn, Israel! Sons of Israel, mourn!
  2. 2Give utterance to the inward throe!
  3. 3As wails, of her first love forlorn,
  4. 4The Virgin clad in robes of woe.
  1. 5Mourn the young Mother, snatch'd away
  2. 6From Light and Life's ascending Sun!
  3. 7Mourn for the Babe, Death's voiceless prey,
  4. 8Earn'd by long pangs and lost ere won.
  1. 9Mourn the bright Rose that bloom'd and went,
  2. 10Ere half disclosed its vernal hue!
  3. 11Mourn the green Bud, so rudely rent,
  4. 12It brake the stem on which it grew.
  1. 13Mourn for the universal woe
  2. 14With solemn dirge and fault'ring tongue:
  3. 15For England's Lady is laid low,
  4. 16So dear, so lovely, and so young!
  1. 17The blossoms on her Tree of Life
  2. 18Shone with the dews of recent bliss:
  3. 19Transplanted in that deadly strife,
  4. 20She plucks its fruits in Paradise.
  1. 21Mourn for the widow'd Lord in chief,
  2. 22Who wails and will not solaced be!
  3. 23Mourn for the childless Father's grief,
  4. 24The wedded Lover's agony!
  1. 25Mourn for the Prince, who rose at morn
  2. 26To seek and bless the firstling bud
  3. 27Of his own Rose, and found the thorn,
  4. 28Its point bedew'd with tears of blood.
  1. 29O press again that murmuring string!
  2. 30Again bewail that princely Sire!
  3. 31A destined Queen, a future King,
  4. 32He mourns on one funereal pyre.
  1. 33Mourn for Britannia's hopes decay'd,
  2. 34Her daughters wail their dear defence;
  3. 35Their fair example, prostrate laid,
  4. 36Chaste Love and fervid Innocence.
  1. 37While Grief in song shall seek repose,
  2. 38We will take up a Mourning yearly:
  3. 39To wail the blow that crush'd the Rose,
  4. 40So dearly priz'd and lov'd so dearly.
  1. 41Long as the fount of Song o'erflows
  2. 42Will I the yearly dirge renew:
  3. 43Mourn for the firstling of the Rose,
  4. 44That snapt the stem on which it grew.
  1. 45The proud shall pass, forgot; the chill,
  2. 46Damp, trickling Vault their only mourner!
  3. 47Not so the regal Rose, that still
  4. 48Clung to the breast which first had worn her!
  1. 49O thou, who mark'st the Mourner's path
  2. 50To sad Jeshurun's Sons attend!
  3. 51Amid the Light'nings of thy Wrath
  4. 52The showers of Consolation send!
  1. 53Jehovah frowns! the Islands bow!
  2. 54And Prince and People kiss the Rod!--
  3. 55Their dread chastising Judge wert thou!
  4. 56Be thou their Comforter, O God!