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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Poem "To Mrs. Vining on His Departure from Philadelphia" by Thomas Burke
Burke, Thomas, ca. 1747-1783
August 1779
Volume 15, Page 744

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DR. THOMAS BURKE TO MRS. VINING ON HIS DEPARTURE FROM PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST, 1779.
Madam farewell! at length the hour is come,
Once more that calls me to my rustic home,
That hour much wished for, and much dreaded too
Points to sweet home, but bids me part from you
Begins my course to meet domestic friends,
But here with you my happy converse ends.
No more returning from the Statesman's toils
At thy kind accents and benignant smiles,
The Jarring tumults of my breast shall cease
And to mild generous sympathy give place;
No more I join thy griefs for others woes,
Thy Joy when Heaven on Virtue bliss bestows
Admire thy patient, gentle, generous mind,
Quick to each sense, yet piously resigned,
With mild and bright like evening's parting ray
Manners refined, soft, affable and gay.
Such oft have taught me to forget my smart
And poured sweet peaceful pleasure over my heart
Such now I leave. Such should with grief resign,
Tho' all in prospect, Paradise were mine,
Such shall in pleasing sad remembrance keep
Till Death shall wrap me in eternal sleep.
Yet ere I go, I will indulge one prayer,
Altho' such goodness be Heaven's darling care;
Nor can my humble wretched mind presume
By Prayer to change the universal doom,
Yet will I breathe this prayer to ease my breast,
Long may you live in all your wishes blest,
For ne'er did wish within that bosom glow,
But such as Angels might with pleasure know.
And may no length of time or space prevail
Of my remembrance from thy breast to steal;
May you still know me what I wish to be
Far as my power can reach, a friend to thee.