The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.

The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.

With what a deep devotedness of woe
I wept thy absence--o'er and o'er again
Thinking of thee, read more

With what a deep devotedness of woe
I wept thy absence--o'er and o'er again
Thinking of thee, still thee, till thought grew pain,
And memory, like a drop that, night and day,
Falls cold and ceaseless, wore my heart away!

How like a winter hath my absence been
From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!
What read more

How like a winter hath my absence been
From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!
What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!
What old December's bareness everywhere!

Wives in their husbands' absences grow subtler,
And daughters sometimes run off with the butler.

Wives in their husbands' absences grow subtler,
And daughters sometimes run off with the butler.

Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

Condemned whole years in absence to deplore,
And image charms he must behold no more.

Condemned whole years in absence to deplore,
And image charms he must behold no more.

I dote on his very absence.

I dote on his very absence.

Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.

Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire.

'Tis said that absence conquers love;
But oh! believe it not
I've tried, alas! its power to read more

'Tis said that absence conquers love;
But oh! believe it not
I've tried, alas! its power to prove,
But thou art not forgot.