Preface (3)
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Original
Cease thy complaint, dry up thy tears,
Banish sad thoughts, dispel sad fears
Life is too short, time is too brief,
To waste in useless, hopeless grief.
Away with fears with sadness blinding,
Away with grief, to mis’ry, tending,
Smile while you can, laugh while you may,
With hopeless grief away, away.
Thank God for what he’s to you giv’n
Thrive and prepare for God and Heaven,
Thy time is short on Earth to stay
With hopeless grief away, away.
Jany/48 J. Chew
This entry addressed directly “To Mrs. C” (i.e., Amy Matilda Cassey) conveys a feeling of thankfulness toward the reader. “Cease thy complaint, dry up thy tears,” says the first line, followed by more words of encouragement to lay aside one’s worries and be grateful for the blessings one has already received. The pain mentioned in this poem has sources in both “fears” and “grief,” which in turn bring forth new misery. Yet the poem is resilient in demanding that the reader cast away such feelings if she is to do justice to the life she’s been given.
The poem is probably in response to the death of Joseph Cassey in January 1848. See also Cassey, p. 8 and p. 31.