| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | II. To a Grandmother | | By Bernard Barton (1784–1849) |
| | “Old age is dark and unlovely.”—OSSIAN.
O, SAY 1 not so! A bright old age is thine, | |
| Calm as the gentle light of summer eves, | |
| Ere twilight dim her dusky mantle weaves; | |
| Because to thee is given, in thy decline, | |
| A heart that does not thanklessly repine | 5 |
| At aught of which the hand of God bereaves, | |
| Yet all He sends with gratitude receives;— | |
| May such a quiet, thankful close be mine! | |
| And hence thy fireside chair appears to me | |
| A peaceful throne, which thou wert formed to fill; | 10 |
| Thy children ministers who do thy will; | |
| And those grandchildren, sporting round thy knee, | |
| Thy little subjects, looking up to thee | |
| As one who claims their fond allegiance still. | |
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