Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Jay, William (fl. ca. 1810) [I cannot bear thine absence Lord...]

High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05508.148 Author/Creator: Jay, William (fl. ca. 1810) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph quotation signed Date: circa 1810 Pagination: 1 p. 9.9 x 16.6 cm Order a Copy

Jay writes: "I cannot bear thine absence Lord, / my life expires if thou depart; / Be thou my hear still near my God, / and Thou my God be near my heart."

William, Jay, fl. 1810

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources