title: An elegy on the death of Montgomery Tappen
author: Henry Livingston Jr.
date: 1784
source: Henry Livingston's manuscript poetry book (Thomas Collection; scans and transcription on henrylivingston.com), p. 15-16; the boy died 20 Nov 1784. URL: https://www.henrylivingston.com/writing/poetry/tappen.htm (fetched via https://web.archive.org/web/20250522014150/https://www.henrylivingston.com/writing/poetry/tappen.htm)
form: iambic pentameter (quatrains)
lines: 20
attribution: certain
notes: Serious elegy on a nine-year-old first cousin of his brothers' wives (son of Dr Peter Tappen). Site heading: "An elegy on the death of MONTGOMERY TAPPEN who dies at Poughkeepsie on the 20th of Nov. 1784 in the ninth year of his age". Site heading/headnote: An elegy on the death of MONTGOMERY TAPPEN | who dies at Poughkeepsie on the 20th of Nov. 1784 | in the ninth year of his age MS scan: https://www.henrylivingston.com/writing/poetry/doublepages/doublepage14-15.htm

The sweetest, gentlest, of the youthful train,
Here lies his clay cold upon the sable bier!
He scarce had started on life's varied plain,
For dreary death, arrested his career.

His cheek might vie with the expanded rose,
And Genius sparkled in his azure eyes!
A victim so unblemish'd Heaven chose;
And bore the beauteous lambkin to the skies.

Adieu thou loveliest child! adieu adieu!
Our wishes fain would follow thee on high.
What more can friendship - what more fondness do,
But drop 'th unbidden tear & heave the sigh?

Ye youths, whose ardent bosoms virtue fires:
Who eager wish applause & pant for fame;
Press round MONTGOMERY'S hearse - the NAME inspires.
And lights in kindred souls its native flame.

COLUMBIA grateful hails the tender sound
And when MONTGOMERY'S nam'd still drops a tear.
From shore to shore to earth's remotest bound,
Where LIBERTY is known that NAME is dear.