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SCIENCE, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED AND APPLIED; 
 
 A POEM, 
 
 IN TWO PARTS, 
 
 BY JOHN W. HADCOCK. 
 
 TO WHICH ARE ADDED 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS POEM.S. 
 
 ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 
 
 UTICA: 
 
 BBABD31EY & LYON, PRINTERS, H3 aENESEl STREET 
 
 1851. 
 
//to ( 
 
 Entf^red aooording to Act of Congress, in tli(^ .yparlSul, by 
 
 JOHN W. IIADCOOK. 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of tlie District Court of the Xortlxu-n District of 
 
 New Yorlc. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PlOB, 
 
 Preface . . ^ , ♦ ♦ » 5 
 
 Introduction , 7 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 Canto T. — The Result of Investigation 9 
 
 Canto II. — The effects of Investigation upon 
 scientific objects 27 
 
 Canto III. — The gratification of Scientific 
 Research . , 42 
 
 Canto IV. — Practical Science as applicable to 
 the general wants of mankind. . . , 57 
 
 Canto V. — Science as tending to develope the 
 character and attributes of Deity 69 
 
 Canto VI.— Science as tending to the promul- 
 gation and adoption of Moral Principle., , , » 91 
 
4 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 Science Applied lOS 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 
 
 The Gallows 154 
 
 Life's Reality 156 
 
 The Wanderer. 158 
 
 October . , . . 1 60 
 
 The Soldier's Career. 162 
 
 Results of Necessity .<..,..,.,.... 163 
 
 A Tribute to the Brave. 164 
 
 Ode. 166 
 
 The Poet , .167 
 
 SELECTED POEMS. 
 
 Superstition , .*«.:. 168 
 
 The Friends of my Youth .,. .171 
 
 The Embroidress at Midnight... . . . .... . . . . .173 
 
 The Voice of Childhood. 176 
 
 Be kind to each other. , 179 
 
 Stanzas 180 
 
 Consolation 182 
 
 A Lyric for Lovers, , ,,♦.., 185 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The aiitlioi* in submitting the following work to 
 the public, feels confident that they, under the cir- 
 cumstances, will make every allowance which 
 justice requires. 
 
 The toil to which he has been subject for the 
 last four years, while engaged in its completion, 
 may perhaps in a measure have retarded the inter- 
 est, which might otherwise have been sensibly in- 
 creased. 
 
 His labors at the anvil for the purpose of procu- 
 ring the necessaries of life have been almost inces- 
 sant; spare evenings only, have been devoted to 
 accomplish the purposes of this work. Should it 
 prove acceptable and instructive, his strongest 
 wishes and anticipations will be fully and amply 
 realized. 
 
6 
 
 The diffidence which he must necessarily feel, 
 is, in the consciousness thJit it is the duty of every 
 one in issuing a work, however large or small, to 
 exhibit as the subject matter lessons of instruction : 
 whether or not such are contained within the pages 
 of this work, he cheerfully submits it to the bar of 
 public opinion. 
 
 That vast field which he has been able but slight- 
 ly to traverse, presents an inexhaustible fountain of 
 material for the candid and reflecting mind. Hence 
 rest the most ardent hopes of the author, that from 
 the leading truths suggested within these pages, 
 there may be drawn matter upon which the mind 
 may expatiate, and continue to muse, till worn 
 down by laborious and exhaustless inquiries. 
 
 Norway, Herkimer Co., Dec. 30, 1850. 
 
INTRODUCTION, 
 
 Why Is the world still charmed with barbarous 
 Customs old? Has Egypt, Greece, or Rome, so 
 
 nerved 
 The powers of old Adam's lace, that they must 
 Seize on relics reared m Europe, Africa, and Pal- 
 estine ? 
 'Tis true, men are charmed by deeds of valor won : 
 And fain would mark their path with devastation 
 And with blood. Driven on by desperation mad, 
 They catch the double flame of ages long since 
 
 past, 
 And haste to mingle sacred things, with those pro- 
 fane. 
 But stop on ruin's verge, for sad indeed does his- 
 tory's 
 Record repeat the din of ancient wars : 
 It tells of Empires wrecked, and cities burned ; 
 "^hile the slaughtered millions but too plainly told, 
 That science and religion must be sold. 
 Popes, Legates, immediate delegates from Hell, 
 
8 
 
 Had well concocted schemes that buried the 
 
 Last feeble taper in superstition's gloom. 
 
 The records of the past, in times so sadly told, « 
 
 Were buried in holy martyr's tombs, and smothered 
 
 In the crusades made to foreign lands. 
 
 The learning of the age was a mystery to its race ; 
 
 Devoid of sacred truth, debased by superstition, 
 
 And enslaved by cunning priests. 
 
 Though there were years full twenty score, much 
 
 darker 
 Than the Pyramids of Ramises, yet champions 
 Like flowers selected from the rest, and bound 
 And bundled close to fill some crowded vase, 
 Seized on armors burnished bright, to aid the 
 Sure ensuing fight. 
 
 Time itself did much befriend the noble cause ; 
 And time did still increase ; but faster far 
 And more than all the rest, did mystery's hidden 
 
 deep. 
 Display the awful darkness, which priestly 
 Superstition had established unperceived. 
 Scan the circle of Heaven's celestial vault, 
 Behold the trackless revolutions of its orb : 
 View the perfect structure of the human frame 
 Composed. of lifeless earth, which bears the 
 Nourishment of life, and gives to beast and insect 
 An undisputed home. 
 Tell then ! if thought must die, and moulder 
 
With the ruins of a dissipated race. 
 To smother thought, by nature prone to rove, 
 Would be to grasp Jehovah's dictatorial 
 Mandate, and conquer fate's decree. 
 Haste then ye sparks of Hving genius to adopt the 
 Law of universal love ; impart to creatures of your 
 Race that consolation sweet, derived from Him 
 Who wheels our globe from day to day ; and holdsa 
 In hand the dashing of the cataract ; while 
 Around His glittering standard, rolls the pealing 
 Thunder, peal on peal, which elevates the soul 
 To sentiments of sublimity and awe. 
 
u 
 
 CANTO I, 
 
 THE KliSULT OF INVESTICIATION. 
 
 Cannot the intellectual mind of man, so far 
 Advanced in faculties sublime, select for 
 Thought, objects which swell the heart, and 
 Shed a golden light around. 
 'Tis true, severe decrees may check those sweet 
 Melodious tones so oft declaring thought exclusive 
 Ln her reign. But where reigns the despot 
 Whose edict can give law ? Where does power 
 Rest that holds the will in check ? 
 Is it not with Him who guides the mind to 
 Still more lofty research, to ferret out the 
 Perversion of a sadly mutilated race ? 
 Hold then, and interpose your aid to dispel 
 The ignorance of the age. Shout forth ye burn- 
 ing meteors. 
 And see what revolutions may be wrought. 
 The past and present spread a gloom too 
 Dark for moral attributes to charm : 
 But in future may they grapple with the foe, 
 
12 
 
 And purge and cleanse its every pore, till 
 
 Light triumphant fills her every throne. 
 
 Oh, cruel custom ! why hast thou so quickly 
 
 Interposed to tear asunder peaceful hopes 
 
 Which fain would linger fondly nursing 
 
 Science so requisite for him who soon must 
 
 Wing his flight to distant worlds, and find 
 
 Enjoyment far surpassing courts of kings, and 
 
 Rulers here below. 
 
 Nature's laws, as firm as God's eternal throne, 
 
 By many never yet explored, produce in untrained 
 
 Mortal minds a kind of fearful terror, 
 
 Not even yet removed. 
 
 In ages past we see the eftbrts of our race 
 
 Directed to the Sun and Moon ; while 
 
 Meteors, and fiery comets with their blazing tails, 
 
 But still augmented efforts Wind, whose 
 
 Fiery zeal could not be quenched but by ringing 
 
 Bells, and sounding trumpets loud, to enchant 
 
 The hidden springs of nature vast, where suns 
 
 Unnumbered shine, and mighty worlds 
 
 Their rounds pursue. 
 
 Thus impositions of the grossest kind are taught 
 
 And harbored in tlie mind ; 
 
 Some pretend to view in harmless lights 
 
 That grace the vast immensity of space. 
 
 Boundless armies passing to and fro, 
 
 Thus mingling the Alpine scenes of nature. 
 
13 
 
 With the fiercest battle to contend, and 
 Deluge Earth with streams of human gore. 
 Behold ! ye Astrologers of Rome, stars and 
 Other planetary orbs reeling their course to 
 Earth, and passing off in lawless order to fix 
 The fate of nations, of armies, and of men. 
 Look at confusion introduced to propel 
 Celestial orbs, whose journeying through 
 Heaven's vast arch are fixed by laws 
 Immutable ; examine, investigate, and see, if 
 Distant meteors like these have aught to do 
 In rendering homage to the moral incidents of life. 
 Measure the far distant space from earth 
 To the remotest caverns of immensity, and 
 See, if intervening worlds can fix the moral 
 Attributes of those, who mar and obliterate 
 The beauties of our race. 
 Kings and Princes, high and low, why seek 
 Predictions so profane ? do planets hold 
 Your destiny in hand, or worlds foretell your doom : 
 Nay, but He who sways the sceptre of a 
 Thousand worlds, must ever move the veil. 
 And bring to light that mystery of mysteries. 
 Haste then to search out causes still unknown. 
 And covered with a brilliant crest 
 That lights the path, and scatters every fear. 
 Far -better that you had ne'er been born. 
 Than dare presume to grapple with your 
 
 m 
 
14 
 
 God, to wrest the keys of fate, and hence predict 
 His purposes of state. 
 
 Has England's boasted knowledge,' or Scotland's 
 High pursuits, dispelled those grovelling fears 
 'I hat harrow up the mind, and quicken vision, 
 So sensitive to ills and shapes of every kind ? 
 Speak ye critics bold, (so conversant with 
 Manners, and with men,) and let the people knov/, 
 If superstitious ignorance is banished fromthe world. 
 Consume that store of midnight oil, reserved 
 For purposes refined, and haunt those pages 
 Long since filed away, that you may learn 
 Anew, the misery of your race. 
 See them starting at the bounding hare, or at the 
 Roving sow, whom chance hath thrown across 
 Their path; while croaking ravens with howling dogs 
 Are still prognostics of approaching death. 
 Sad as it is, they tremble at vain dreams. 
 Thus destroying that which might ennoble man, 
 Making frail nature as short as insupportable. 
 Even the stars of heaven, which pass in rapture 
 To and fro, have caused alarm, while passing 
 Clouds which mantle earth, have ofttimes made 
 The Scottish peasant, lords, and all, the willing 
 Dupes of false alarm, and vulgar apparitions 
 Most profane. 
 
 Man, ever prone to wrestle with his ease, in 
 Spite of real evils which exist, has reared 
 
15 
 
 Imaginary monsters too frail for heaven or 
 
 Earth to own. 
 
 False conclusions drawn from objects real 
 
 But still enhance those fears which create 
 
 Ideal worlds ; rearing spectres, furies, wizards. 
 
 And other strange and wrinkled hags [witches 
 
 Too numerous to rehearse : 
 
 With these he thinks his weal or woe 
 
 Inevitably combined. 
 
 The regions of the skies are thronged with 
 
 Apparitions, while terrific phantoms stalk abroad 
 
 To terrify the wearied traveller in midnight's dark 
 
 Repose ; in ruined castles and buildings old, 
 
 They frequently announce their dread approach by 
 
 Horrid sounds without, while rattling coach 
 
 With fiery steeds, patrol the fast decaying 
 
 Halls, and shake the very earth that 
 
 Deity hath formed. 
 
 In graveyards, caverns, and forests deep, 
 
 Most horrid sounds have tinkled in the ear, 
 
 As monstrous shapes have risen up and 
 
 Made vast cities tremble at the sight. 
 
 Such folly soon would sink to nought, 
 
 If kept in close alliance with its native sires 
 
 Whose vulgar minds have made so little 
 
 Research in that unbounded field of 
 
 Scientific worth which sheds such golden 
 
 Rays through caverns of superstitious gloom 
 
16 
 
 Wlilch long have waged an unrelenting war on 
 
 Human rights, and slaughtered man with 
 
 Will of demons most infernal. 
 
 Such are reckless authors of men's woes ; 
 
 Untrained in nature's laws, they drag the 
 
 Mortal mind enchained, (with vast pretensions, 
 
 To their skill) to depths of irrevocable despair. 
 
 While men of sound and penetrating minds. 
 
 Must blush to leave on history's page 
 
 The names of men who hold no inferior 
 
 Hank in the world's great catalogue of 
 
 Literary men. 
 
 Go back, and search Joseph us, 
 
 How soon you'll find that giant mind 
 
 Tainted, ay, even poisoned with 
 
 Incredible deceit. 
 
 Palming off imaginary ghosts for real objects 
 
 That he saw, thus giving credit to groundless fear, 
 
 More readily assumed, than when confirmed 
 
 To minds more vulgar than his own. 
 
 Peruse the history of James the sixth, 
 
 See there a mind, well versed in theological 
 
 Pursuits, debased by devoting time, intellect 
 
 And money in spreading wide the popular 
 
 Errors of his day. 
 
 Many were the hourd he spent in proving 
 
 Witches still extant, while, (as he oft declared) ■ 
 
 With wings of telegraphic speed, and 
 
17 
 
 •i 
 
 BroomsticlTs for their base, they soared 
 On high to haiiiit the lonely cottage in the night. 
 Fixed, motionless, and petrified with dread, 
 They dare not disobey, but asked the mercy 
 Of a sovereign despot, whose arm was 
 Nerved to deeds of bloody valor, to prove 
 His willingness to spend the powers of 
 Rant and rhapsody in warm defence of . 
 Witches, wizards and fairies, at the expense 
 Of royal blood throughout his realm. 
 In years gone by, those rumbling sounds 
 So oft produced in mines and deep dug 
 Pits, were charged to Demons of the cells. 
 While scientific truth would soon have 
 Banished fears like these, and proved 
 The mighty crash, a philosophic 
 Problem solved by gas confined in some 
 Remote or distant space. 
 Beside opinions such as we have named. 
 Opinions too, that fill the vulgar mind with 
 Double apprehonsioi^ hundreds more exist 
 That give assent to sdll more foolish 
 Vagaries, and pass them off for current truths. 
 Thus, tradition, keeps the mind enslaved; 
 And even cites grave authors for the proof.. 
 Should we attempt to tell of all the . 
 Wanderings of the mind, the effort 
 Would prove vain, while weak and 
 
18 
 
 Helpless as the infant child, the pen 
 Would drop as though unclenched within 
 Our grasp, and minds of high pursuit 
 Would turn aside, faint and overhurdened 
 With disgust. 
 
 That notions so ahsurd should ever have 
 Prevailed, and seized as victims of their prize 
 The noble genius man, are thoughts too 
 Grating to repeat, and the only consolation 
 Human wisdom can devise, is, instruction 
 To impart ; while indeed we may weep, 
 But its only sympathetic grief. That 
 Superstitious folly still remains extant, 
 Is proof that man is just emerging 
 From the gloom of midnight woe ; 
 And well may he who sees in every orb 
 That steady march which governs vast 
 Lmnensity, heave and groan though 
 Not alone, because of groundless fears 
 Which spring from sources thus corrupt. 
 But He who holds eternal (^stiny in 
 Hand, has false constructions put 
 Upon His ways. 
 
 The man whose mind doth penetrate 
 The shroud of nature's deep concerted 
 Plans, perceives no grating sounds, 
 BiU all is harmony and order. 
 Rushing on without convulsed or heaving 
 
19 
 
 Sighs ill proof of Deity's benevolent designs , 
 
 He sees no clashing elements in the 
 
 Vast department of His works, to teach 
 
 Mankind that nature's laws produce 
 
 Disease or pain to any of his race. 
 
 But change the man, enshroud him 
 
 With the garb of superstitious fear. 
 
 And you find him but a brute ; 
 
 The sky, the air, the waters of the eartli, 
 
 Are heaving and bellowing with monstrous 
 
 Sliapes to terrify his fears, or consunmiate 
 
 His ruin. 
 
 The one beholds the universe with a 
 
 Shining train pursuing her trackless 
 
 Course by laws invariable, which none can 
 
 Counteract but He w^io moves them 
 
 With a will : while ihe other sees naught 
 
 But a boundless space marching on in 
 
 Lawless order to irritate malicious spirits 
 
 Damned, who seek revenge alone to gratify 
 
 The passions of their kind. 
 
 Thus while one beholds nought but care, 
 
 Wisdom, and benevolence, the other sees 
 
 Nothing but malice, envy, hatred, and 
 
 Revenge, in the wisdom of Him whose 
 
 Throne is irreproachable. 
 
 Alas for man, that such absurd and 
 
 Foolish notions should ever dim his 
 
20 
 
 Mortal mind, and tlius unfit that 
 
 Supreme gift for forming just conclusions 
 
 In its research after truth. 
 
 But so it is, we see his understanding 
 
 Chained to naught, while down the scale 
 
 He glides,. till he has reached with 
 
 Shattered brain and worn out frame, 
 
 A sordid and most abject state ; 
 
 Thus we see in fragments scattered round, 
 
 A priceless gift unfit to view the order 
 
 And extent of nature universal. 
 
 Strange message this to tell of mortal- minds 
 
 Endowed with facuhies sublime ; 
 
 Unable to perceive the motion- of revolving earth 
 
 And the distance of celestial orbs ; 
 
 Yet they grasp opinions ten thousand times 
 
 More baseless than themselves, 
 
 And readily believe that wrinkled hags 
 
 Have power uncontrolled to wing their 
 
 Way through air, and haunt them. 
 
 While the hideous darkness of niglit 
 
 O'ershadows earth. But still more, and 
 
 Worse than all the rest, such notions 
 
 Lead to d^eds of cruelty and wrong 
 
 So well proved out that history's page doth 
 
 Designate those crimes of deeper hue and 
 
 Charge them to the superstitious.fears of 
 
 Every nation now extant, Even freedom's 
 
21 
 
 Land of boasted light is numbered with 
 
 The rest. 
 
 While witchcraft led her ancient fathers 
 
 Captive to its shrine, and stained the 
 
 Peaceful soil with human gore, 
 
 Dreams, apparitions, terror, and consternation 
 
 Of the grossest kind, increased these 
 
 Prodigies of horror, while prisons 
 
 O'erflowed with subjects of their fears, 
 
 And buried minds in gloomy apprehensions 
 
 Of the times. 
 
 Such evils then exist among mankind. 
 
 With false opinions and vain fears 
 
 They debase the understanding of the man, 
 
 And sever Deity's designs to perpetrate 
 
 Deeds of horrid cruelty and wrong. 
 
 Thus you see that we have assumed that 
 
 Ignorance of the laws of nature's God, 
 
 And the economy of His works, has been 
 
 The source of opinions thus absurd ; 
 
 Which none would ever dare dispute. 
 
 When once convinced that God is the 
 
 Great prime mover of His works. 
 
 Search out the plans of nature far and wide, 
 
 Survey the phenomena of her works, 
 
 And you'll find her far surpassing 
 
 Frowning storms which gather round 
 
 The shrine of human vestures, rearing 
 
22 
 
 Phantoms to the terror of their race. 
 Search on, the farther you advance in 
 Nature's vast economy and laws, 
 The sooner you'll behold the foolishness of man. 
 A knowledge of the cause, removes the 
 Real evil, and the effect must as 
 Promptly be removed. 
 
 Let knowledge frown when folly would control, 
 And reason seize the place of legendary 
 Tales as handed down from sire to son, 
 ^ And made the theme of social chat; 
 And soon, the greater part of horrid 
 Phantoms, now so numerous, will be 
 For ever banished from the world: 
 While scientific truth will wing its flight 
 Through every dimly lighted path. 
 And tell the reason why the few remain, 
 Which still exist. 
 
 'Tis not alone the man who's learned in 
 All the subtleties of Greece and Rome, 
 Who's preserved from false and foolish 
 Whims, but he, whose mind doth 
 Ponder nature well, and mark remits 
 Of laws which Universe doth claim, is 
 Wellbuoyedup and stands unmoved 
 When grating sounds doth shake the earth, 
 And rushing comets hurl their fiery missiles round. 
 Let philosophic research be the theme, where facts 
 
23 
 
 Respecting earth, atmospliere, and air, are we] 
 
 portrayed, 
 And notions false will quickly change. 
 And vanish from the sight ; 
 While nature's uniform career, will 
 Please the sense, and fix the eye, 
 Unconscious now of evil shapes, in 
 Rapture to adore. 
 Let men be taught that eclipses of 
 The sun and moon, are shadows 
 Passing by of worlds unnumbered by 
 The human eye, that comets oft go 
 Forth with mighty escorts to the plain, 
 To tread again the broad highway which 
 Leads them not astray, 
 And soon they'll view with pleasing 
 Eye, and calmer mind, those mighty 
 Rounds which nature must pursue. 
 Sublime are thoughts which flit across 
 The mind enlightened, while beams of 
 Science welcome home celestial orbs. 
 And count the comet but a visitant 
 To Earth, returning in her regular tread 
 To seek anew some stranger to her train. 
 For this, we need but view the history of 
 The past to prove, that facts like these, 
 Would banish shadows from the mind, 
 And rend the veil which hides Divine 
 
24 
 
 Arrangements from the view of mortal eye. 
 
 Search o'er the field of the enlightened few, 
 
 See them conscious of the solemn change, 
 
 While mounting high the rostrum of the 
 
 Skies they view the brilliant crest, a portion 
 
 Of terraqueous globe, and think not to themselves 
 
 That man is treacherous to his Maker God, 
 
 While bowing down a slave to superstitious 
 
 Notions, and vain fears. 
 
 Who amid the exalted train, betrays 
 
 Alarm when comets mind the bidding 
 
 Of Jehovah God? and eclipses darken 
 
 Sun or Moon, is there one ? if so, 
 
 Expose him to the scorn and indignation 
 
 Of the rest, and tell the wide world 
 
 0*er, that spectres dragged him from 
 
 His bed at midnight's dread repose, 
 
 And charged him with a mission 
 
 To unfold, that would sure craze 
 
 Frail nature as she saw and listened 
 
 With surprise. But no, a philosophic . 
 
 Mind is never thus befooled, and made 
 
 The victim of debasing, low-bred, shameless 
 
 Fears ; but rather frowns with scorn, 
 
 Upon the wretch who doubts the 
 
 Sovereignty of his God, and makes 
 
 Immensity subservient to his fears. 
 
 Thus we may conolude, that knowledge 
 
25 
 
 Dissipates those fears, and elevates the 
 Man to stations worthy of his name. 
 In proof that God is King o'er wide 
 Creation's ceaseless, never varying rounds, 
 These truths may well be taught to every 
 Rank and grade : there is none 
 However low his standing in the eyes 
 Of men, (if common sense doth linger 
 Round,) but who may grasp the prize, 
 Without infringing time that daily 
 Labor doth consume. 
 While ignorance moves the demon cloud 
 Which darkens eveiy mind, and fills 
 Whole nations with alarm, no means 
 Should be withheld, till vice, and folly 
 Be confined, and henceforth overcome by 
 Virtue, reason, and common sense, widioiit 
 Disguise or false pretension. 
 As fear is painful in itself, in straying far 
 From pnths of safety and ol lile, the utmost 
 IMeans should be enforced lo sever fearful terrors 
 From the mind, and implant more just 
 Conceptions of the attributes of Deity Himself. 
 To rend the chams wiiich hold jnen bound 
 The willing dupes of supersiitlous fears a general 
 View of useful knowledge is the tiling: 
 'Tis not the shackles which confine the mind 
 To points of ditTicult solution, but 
 2 
 
26 
 
 tJnIversal nature is the theme ; 
 While with wide extended arms she bids us 
 Welcome to the boon, and wafts us on with 
 Silken pinions to the goal. 
 
27 
 
 CANTO II. 
 
 THE EFFECTS OF INVESTiaATIOxX UPON SCIENTIFIC OBJECTS, 
 
 Thus we have viewed whh still and silent 
 Thought, the gradual crumbling and decay 
 Of sad depravity in man, the sure result of 
 Knowledge well defined, when made the 
 Substitute of fears which harrow up the mind. 
 All that flatters pride and vanity must die ; 
 The ponderous fetters must be loosed ; while 
 O'er fair earth, with lightning speed. 
 Conceptions just of attributes Divine, 
 INIust pilot man through shoals 
 \¥hich border round the shores of nature's 
 Wide domain. 
 
 Should this secure the prize, our every eflbrt 
 Could but be repaid, while round on every 
 Hand we saw the veil removed, and 
 Nature's system, well defined, as meant 
 To indicate that God is first, and then 
 Comes next decaying mortal man. 
 Such truths are, notwithstanding, few, wlien 
 Brought to vie with philosophic steeps ; 
 
28 
 
 And hence exhibit to the wondering gaze, 
 
 Yon crowning worlds, which move with 
 
 Speed through boundless space, and 
 
 Grace terraqueous globe. 
 
 'Tis disciphne which wakes the sprightly pinions 
 
 Of the mind, and soars away enlarging science 
 
 In her march, each moment giving place by 
 
 Turns to higher hopes and more repose, 
 
 Till boundless in her way, rough and horrid as 
 
 Life's tempest seems, we move midst scenes 
 
 Where objects far exceeding strife, command 
 
 A sober second thought. 
 
 It matters not what field the eye explores ; 
 
 Its searching glance may flit across the 
 
 Plain, or dive to depths beneath, then soaring 
 
 Far away, as if to greet some messenger on 
 
 High, it meets new objects all around, 
 
 Though difl:ering far in shape and sphere. 
 
 Yet bearing marks of wisdom's care which 
 
 Gives resemblance to all dial's life throughout 
 
 Jehovah's vast domain. 
 
 Science seems a sporting problem for 
 
 Mankind ; it draws a line so well defined 
 
 (If man be what he seems to be) that none 
 
 Can misconstrue. 
 
 'Tis perception, resemblance, and relation. 
 
 Which unfold that vast and boundless field 
 
 Whose matchless workings make earth's 
 
29 
 
 Welkin ring in praise of God's extensive 
 Plans ; and point out facts which prove 
 Beyond a doubt, that man's resolved on 
 Universal conquest o'er beast and insect, 
 Who in resemblance bear relation to himself. 
 Hence, to understand the number of relations 
 "Which exist among the yet unnumbered objects, 
 Moving each in different spheres, material some, 
 And others intellectual, and each a part of 
 Universe itself, requires observation most 
 Profound. 
 
 Deductions must be made, comparisons 
 Must be brought or facts in numerous ways 
 Be solved, which comprehend the whole. 
 Science then, seems based on facts ; 
 And few exceptions can be brought, when 
 Grounds are once assumed, that truths sublime, 
 When stripped of all mysierious terms. 
 Divulge so many facts. • 
 
 Illustrations might here be introduced, 
 But when we view with candid thought 
 True logic in itself, we need not tell. 
 That a projectile describes a parabolic curve. 
 Or that the lightning speed of falling 
 Bodies, is in proportion to the distance 
 Of their flight. Such are truths of 
 Ample proof, deduced from observation 
 Of the gravest kind, and still enhanced 
 
30 
 
 By faithful, long, and well tried schemes. 
 
 And thus it is that he who holds but 
 
 Common rank, and blest, as all must 
 
 See, with wholesome, sound, and 
 
 Common sense, may grasp the boon, though 
 
 Ignorance held the sway, if he'll but 
 
 Fly from error's gloomy vault, and 
 
 Scan with searching glance the deep 
 
 Mysterious truths which sciences unfold. 
 
 That one excels in searching o'er the field of 
 
 Scientific truths, is but a proof that many 
 
 Spurn the truths which science brings to view ; 
 
 While others, steadfast in their work, pursue 
 
 The path (if nothing more) that brings to light 
 
 A single fact. Look at the myriads 
 
 Now engaged in scientific thought, and see 
 
 If even half, are blessed with minds 
 
 Excelling common laborers of the day. 9i 
 
 The man wlto gives his time to scientific 
 
 Thought, and brings to light new facts. 
 
 Is ofttimes he who lives in penury and 
 
 Want, and not he who wields the elocution 
 
 Of the bar, or desk, and spends a hfetime 
 
 Searching o'er the records of a college hall. 
 
 Discipline indeed is good ; but far beyond 
 
 Do circumstances reach, when diiTering 
 
 In their train, thus bringing different 
 
 Objects to their sight, and adding new 
 
Relations with their different 
 
 Combinations, lying (as they many times 
 
 Must) far beyond the range of higher 
 
 Observation. 
 
 Envy not the genius then, which climbs 
 
 The world of nature and brings to view 
 
 Sublime and obvious truths, which wiser 
 
 Heads may miss. Such may win the prize, 
 
 And this makes good the oft repeated 
 
 Fact, that he who studies nature as she is, 
 
 Will designate the mysteries of her universal 
 
 Frame, by giving to each link which binds the 
 
 Whole, a sober separate thought. 
 
 Hence the mass of mind,. though moderate 
 
 To extremes when fixed in steady contemplation 
 
 Of objects scientific in themselves, scans 
 
 With eagle eye, that philosophic chart 
 
 Which measures each degree of 
 
 Nature's consecrated roof, reaching truths 
 
 Of every kind, while she brings in concert 
 
 New relations to the view. 
 
 Arouse that drooping spirit then which 
 
 Moves in lower ranks, and prosecute 
 
 Those high born hopes from whence 
 
 Analogies are drawn ; and ere the star 
 
 Of life be covered with a shroud, a 
 
 Bright and charming day must shine 
 
 On science as it is. 
 
32 
 
 Vast and ample is the field which - 
 Microscopic mind has never yet explored. 
 Science, unperfected as it is, and youthful 
 In its growth, sends forth a voice 
 ICnticingin itself, which tells mankind of 
 Imperfections which exist, and fain would 
 Prompt each one, however rich or poor, 
 To study well its laws, which future observation 
 Must propound. Nature's objects, which 
 Science doth embrace, presents 'as yet 
 Exhaustless themes to trouble human brains ; 
 Some obscure, others unexplained, and more 
 . Than all the rest, a host of combinations 
 Which have never been disclosed. 
 Age on Age must flit away, and- still ten 
 Thousand wonders, (strange to tell,) must lie 
 Concealed beneath the veil, which covers 
 Nature's wide domain. 
 
 To speed the time when undiscovered truths 
 Of science shall be brou"ht to liirht, 
 The day must dawn when thousands, 
 Wliere there's now but one, dev'ote at least, 
 In part, their time in ranging universe 
 At large. If this could be attained, 
 Truths and facts, in nigh proportion to the 
 Numbers thus engaged, would light the 
 World, and bring to eartli the hidden 
 Wonders of celestial skv, 
 
33 
 
 Time that's past, proclaims the truth of 
 What is here assumed ; in ages 
 Dark, when dissipated minds too proud 
 To learn, strayed far from high pursuits, 
 We saw no progress of successful flight ; 
 When b^ms of science e'en caught the 
 Passing notice of mankind, but rather 
 Sunk in stupid frenzy from the sight. 
 But when the " Royal edict" was annulled. 
 And " Papal fetters'* burst, the cheering rays of 
 Science beamed o'er creation with a smile. 
 Arts aroused from slumbering ages past, 
 And moved with ponderous tread to summon 
 Reverence to the coascious change. 
 Hence to speed the flight of science through 
 Creation's boundless field, the numbers now 
 So few who give a passing thought or 
 List'ning ear to observations of so grave a 
 Kind, must be increased in ten-fold 
 Ratio from the past, and make the 
 Present teem with efforts for the mass ; 
 Present the glittering mind, endowed 
 With intellect sublime, and teach a 
 Truth, which logic true can never 
 Undermine, that perseverance soars away 
 And leads the mind, however feeble 
 In its youth, to search out reasons for 
 The cause ; while in proportion to success 
 2* 
 
34 
 
 Its triumphs doth resound. 
 
 Means hke these, would soon revive those 
 
 Dormant springs of mind, which shine 
 
 So brilliant in exching spheres. 
 
 Though dim as midnight's curtained vault. 
 
 Progress stamps her shining rays on every 
 
 Page that intellect unfolds, and gladly 
 
 Lists to late and new discovered lacts 
 
 Which light the different regions of terraqueous 
 
 Globe. Ambition of the highest kind, 
 
 Augments an innate love to cherish 
 
 Knowledge of superior worth, 
 
 While o'er creation she doih roam, to gather 
 
 Scattered fragtne! ts liere and theie, 
 
 And liirhi the cojicave arch whicli spreads 
 
 Tene.-trial nature out to view. 
 
 Sum up the hulk of human mind, 
 
 Behold die vast and endless objects of 
 
 Her rulti, and soon you'll know ilie 
 
 Fact so plain, that knowledge is the 
 
 Philosophic tube which drinks the lightning 
 
 Flash, and bids yon angry cloud to rend 
 
 Whate'er it please. 
 
 In earth beneath, ambition weighs each 
 
 Mineral there engrossed, whilst douhly eager 
 
 In pursuit, she grasps with ease yon 
 
 Circling worlds, and tells mankind that 
 
 Order reigns throughout this lower globe. 
 
35 
 
 No shackles interpose when mind doth 
 Move her sovereign will ; exchisive right 
 Is no where known ; all, whatever rank or 
 Grade, may seize the priceless gem, and 
 Open wider still the field yet pregnant 
 With so many facts. 
 Science, though youthful in its growth. 
 Must soon expand beyond its present bounds ; 
 No human arm can stay its march ; 
 Nature's universal scene, invites with 
 Equal warmth, the peasant and the king ; 
 While each in turn, (or even both at once,) 
 May view her vast and ample chart. 
 And make deductions from the same. 
 Superior far, in life's obscurest paths, are 
 Facts from thence deduced, untrammelled 
 By the pride of life or merry glass, they 
 Range the wide spread field, and roam 
 With pleasure through her caves, while 
 Nightly pleasure prompts a walk to 
 View the glittering gems of Heaven's vault. 
 Let not the thought for once arise, that 
 He whose taste would relish mental 
 Joys, can less perform the duties common 
 To our race. There's none but who enjoys 
 Some leisure time, that's oftdme spent 
 In reckless folly and reproach. 
 Turn then your train of thought when 
 
36 
 
 Leisure thus gives place, and pleasure 
 You'll enjoy ten thousand times more firm 
 And lasting to mankind, than all 
 The vain and reckless joys which human 
 Genius can invent. 
 Absurd indeed would be the thought. 
 That he who feasts his mind on subjects 
 Rational in themselves, should thus 
 Become a brute, unfit for business 
 Common to our life. 
 He whose mind reverts to scientific 
 Thought, improves the mental powers 
 Which he sways, and doubly fits himself 
 For every station of his race. Intellect 
 Expands where diligence is known ; and 
 Oft where special eflx)rt seems the theme. 
 Some new and hidden wonders spring to 
 View, and doubly fit the man for spheres 
 Of every grade. The fangs which poison 
 Every vein of social life arise from intellects 
 Untrained. Cruel, oh cruel, is the fact. 
 That, gifts so high, should still be dormant ; 
 Aye, m useless we might say, unless in 
 Vain and fearful strife. If thought were 
 Turned from objects loathsome in themselves. 
 How soon would science dawn anew, and 
 Turn as with a magic hand, that 
 Flood of^ human woe so fatal to our 
 
37 
 
 Race. Yes, and hurl that one, and 
 Damulng stain from earth, obscurity of 
 Rational thought. 
 Let thousands move the mighty 
 Glass which brings celestial regions down 
 To view, while each a separate portion 
 To themselves would scan entire 
 Heaven's concave arch, and make her 
 Numerous globes which roll in active 
 Spheres, a sporting wonder to the eye. 
 Jupiter, aye Jupiter, no fiery comet 
 E'er could trace thy orb without a 
 Passing view ; while undiscovered 
 Planets (if any yet remain revolving 
 With our globe) would quick be brought 
 To light. 
 
 Nature's system, moved by laws both 
 Few and simple, is too extensive and 
 Too grand, to be at once made plain 
 By few and scattered minds ; and 
 He who strives to rear from scattered 
 Fragments founded on but partial views, 
 Spacious 'globes and theories of note, 
 Is but presumptuous in his schemes ; and 
 Would but damp our ardor to discover 
 Facts, and thus unhinge what seems the 
 Plans of Deity himself, the grand 
 Display to human minds of universe 
 
38 
 
 With all its vast stupendous works, as 
 
 Recompense for efibits of untiring search. 
 
 Why not array the mass of human mind 
 
 In sterner conflict with the Demon vice ? 
 
 Possessed with equal powers each ; why not 
 
 Devote in part our time to scientific thought ? 
 
 And thus develope different tastes to draw 
 
 Distinct and specious efforts forth, and 
 
 Spe^d that scientific Car the most 
 
 Congenial to each mind. 
 
 I^et each assume distinct departments 
 
 Of the same, and time would soon 
 
 Unfold a science perfect in itself; 
 
 No jar or discord e'er could intervene ; 
 
 But each, and every fact*? would 
 
 Speed the car which nature burdens 
 
 With her freiglit. 
 
 'i'hough darkness seems to mantle 
 
 Science round about, and few as yet can 
 
 Boast of scientific pleasures as they are ; 
 
 Yet array for once, those few, who travel 
 
 Nature's rugged steeps and hail each 
 
 Star with wondrous ease which lights 
 
 The thousand systems far away, and 
 
 They, yes they, though scorned by thousands 
 
 Of our race, may swell the mighty 
 
 Ranks, and stand a host to combat 
 
 Darkness ; and awake what seems 
 
39 
 
 Nought else but an eternal sleep. 
 What else would men like these advise 
 But to allot to each a branch 
 Congenial to his mind ; and thus 
 Speed on the day, when aught but to 
 Improve, shall meet the scorn and 
 Envy of the world. 
 Sad indeed, though true it is, that time 
 Remote must wake an interest in such 
 Unprized charms : the world is but an 
 Infant yet ; undressed; she's just 
 Emerging from the gloom of midnight 
 Woe ; while ignorance with hf?r heavy 
 Weight, still burdens down her 
 Youthful brow. 
 
 The coundess mass which moves each 
 Branch of social life, clogs up tlie 
 Portals of that mine so richly stored 
 With wealth to feed a thirsting 
 Craving snind; engrossed with speculation 
 For vain wealth, each faculty is dumb, 
 Which elevates the mind and plunders 
 Ignorance of her prey. 
 But still despair should not be 
 Felt ; the current may be changed ; 
 Cautious, but not idle, we should be 
 In telling all that time ill spent 
 Should be consumed for better food 
 
40 
 
 Than folly can bestow ; thougn base 
 And low the mind, when once inclined, 
 May arm for conquest, and make sure 
 The crown which science would secure. 
 Hence, how true it is, that he, who 
 Spends each leisure moment of his 
 Time in rearing teinples fit for 
 Science to adorn, increases intellect. 
 And shapes and rears a mind 
 Far better to engage whate'er may 
 Flow or spring from social business 
 Life. 
 
 Is there aught in what we've 
 Said, which makes mankind a 
 Slave ; or wrests enjoyment from 
 His days ^ 
 
 If so, what other rule 
 Shall we prescribe ? 
 
 If we would speed 
 The march of science through the world, 
 No other mode, eftectual in itself. 
 Can ever be devised but to unloose 
 The mighty structure of the mind. 
 And move that vast machine in 
 Spheres more worthy of its dignity 
 And pride. 
 
 How true it is, (though 
 We've affirmed this truth before,) that 
 
41 
 
 Were the mass of Imman mind 
 Arrayed in order, with a view to scan 
 The aspects wrought within the field 
 Of nature's vast expanse, what 
 Flames of moral light would 
 Burst upon the sight, and soon 
 Construct a temple vast from 
 Fragments now remote, replete 
 With value to our race. 
 
42 
 
 CANTO 111. 
 
 THE GRATIFICATION OF SCLENTIFIO UESEARCII. 
 
 Behold majestic man ! a compound 
 
 Being from the first. 
 
 His nature, all in all, consists of body 
 
 And of mind, which, each distinct and 
 
 Godlike part is nursed for its pecuUar 
 
 Use, and moves to gratify whate'er is 
 
 Most congenial to its taste. 
 
 First we see an infant race, and 
 
 Mark the time that's sure to bring old age, 
 
 While with it moves a frame that's much 
 
 Increased, and stands a wonder 
 
 Unexplained by human skill. 
 
 At times, we see it physically engaged 
 
 To gratify what seems to be its wants ; 
 
 But soon, how soon, if appetite were dumb, 
 
 And custom made a blank, would man 
 
 Be level with the brute. 
 
 He learns perhaps, the alphabet when young. 
 
 And makes an application, such as 
 
 Theory suggests, but never through his life 
 
:< 43 
 
 Does knowledge seem to liiiii as vvortliy of 
 
 His care. 
 
 He strives for objects which daily avocations 
 
 Brin^around, and leaves surrounding 
 
 Nature to itself. 
 
 Forsooth he cares for nought except 
 
 What chance ordains and brings within 
 
 His grasp ; no voice that tells of rolling 
 
 Worlds, or tribes which in them live, is welcome 
 
 To his ear. 
 
 But scornful is his brow, bemazed in 
 
 Endless doubt he scorns the road to 
 
 Wisdom, and lives an endless fool. 
 
 Those boundless regions lying in yon 
 
 Firmament, graced with rolling worlds. 
 
 Are thought but foolish whims ; 
 
 Playing with his ease, no thought can 
 
 Turn his steps to wisdom's path, however 
 
 Plain, but all seems alike a blank 
 
 And leafless page. 
 
 His eye may catch the glimmering star. 
 
 And view its kindling rays, but sooner 
 
 Would he wink, than stop for once to 
 
 Think of distance or of height, while 
 
 Gazing on the objects of his sight ; 
 
 The sun is but a torchlight to his path ; 
 
 No relish can he feel for that which 
 
 Hands divine hath wrouo;ht : 
 
44 
 
 Heedless of the scene which heaven's 
 Canopy displays, he counts it but a 
 Mantle for the earth on which he treads ; 
 The landscape which he views, most surely 
 Meets his praise, but still unconscious 
 As the brute, no thought of Him who 
 Formed the paradise he sees, can rouse 
 Him to exalted praise. 
 He finds it pleasing to the eye, 
 And fain doth rest content ; of new 
 Discovered facts which science doth 
 Embrace, and all that bears 
 Improvement on its face, he thinks 
 In common with the brute. 
 No pleasure can he reap from intellect 
 Refined, or benefit derive from 
 Knowledge that's sublime. 
 But the custom of his fathers is the 
 Thing, however inconsistent or absurd. 
 How true it is that minds when thus 
 Corrupt, can never reach sublime 
 And noble objects such as grace 
 And cheer the scientific mind. 
 They feel no pleasure such as 
 Cultivated minds enjoy, nor can they 
 View immensity at large, and say- 
 That Deity is wise. 
 But blhid from birth, they barter 
 
45 
 
 Thought away ; and leave themselves a 
 Prey to superstitious notions, and 
 Foolish apparitions. 
 
 No facts or arguments of weight can prove to 
 Such, their faults ; but they swear till 
 Affirmation makes us doubt that truth is 
 False ; so on we move by slow degrees, 
 Though onward with a martial air, till 
 Every movement makes a charge to rout 
 Such foolish whims, and rear what 
 We term science in their stead. 
 Conceive the man, whose mind doth 
 Flash the lightning of substantial 
 Thought, what noble feelings he can 
 Boast, to which the former are but dead ; 
 Numerous and extensive are his thoughts, 
 While new and distant worlds 
 Present their varied aspects, strange 
 Indeed at first, but stranger to the 
 Ignorant mind. 
 
 He marks the ponderous stream which 
 Time supplies, and counts each flood 
 Which flows her bold and ample 
 Shores, not even casting out the first ; 
 Passing down her foaming tide he sees 
 Each flow and ebb ; from distant ages 
 Down till now no gathering storms, or 
 Hostile foe, which breathes destruction 
 
46 
 
 Through the world, can pass without 
 
 A thought ; he sees the mighty rise and 
 
 Fall ; and views the conquering 
 
 Chieftain clothed in habiliments of war ; 
 
 Pie thinks of blood and carnacre which 
 
 Have flowed, and wonders not that Empires 
 
 Have decayed and nations gone to wreck ; 
 
 His searching glance perceives terraqueous 
 
 Globe ; however numerous may her changes be, 
 
 One look, one thought, arranges all. 
 
 Continents, Islands, Oceans, Rivers, with 
 
 The mountain's towering peaks, are pleasing 
 
 Objects of his thoughts. 
 
 There's nought in nature now, too hard 
 
 For him — he mounts volcanic peaks and 
 
 Lists with pleasure to the howling thunders 
 
 Heard within — and sees the flamini? 
 
 Lightning bursting from its mouth — 
 
 And views the red hot lava rushing 
 
 Down to seek a pillow on some plain below. 
 
 Behold him musing in the social circle 
 
 Of his home ; no wintry blasts which 
 
 Howl wiih fearful strife without, can 
 
 Turn his thoughts ; he thinks, though far 
 
 Away, yea thinks of numerous tribes which 
 
 People earth, and laws which govern each ; 
 
 While quick as thought he turns from 
 
 Laws, and thinks of nunnerous cusloins, 
 
47 
 
 And religions so peculiar to each race ; 
 While wandering o'er the plain he grasps 
 Eternal nature at a glance, and 
 Hastes to tell the hidden process in 
 Each plant, that each may know the 
 Better of their use in nature's vast 
 Expanse. He grasps the microscopic glass 
 And views what seems an unknown world ; 
 Earth, sea, plant and tree seem all a 
 liiving mass. Though strange to ignorant 
 Minds, such facts as these, can never lie 
 Concealed while science is a theme tliat 
 Wakes the vigorous mind, and lifts 
 The veil from beauties most sublime. 
 Thouffh darkness cast her withering]; shroud 
 Around, the man of knowledge, when 
 Intent, may trace huge globe while flying 
 Through the depths of space ; and counts 
 Her speed a toy in confirmation of his skill ; 
 He needs but ply his glass to bring most 
 Distant worlds to view. 
 With ease he wings his way through 
 Space ; and marks the time of swiftest 
 Orbs-; and views the aspect which relates to 
 Globes ; he scans the moons of Jupiter, 
 And Saturn's belted ball ; and marks the 
 Order of them all. 
 Stupendaufj ring, cricB he, revolving with 
 
48 
 
 Majestic ease around a globe, and 
 Graced with stars which shine with radiance 
 To adorn that mighty world. 
 But farther still may he advance ; not 
 Even half the truth has yet been told ; 
 See him measure distance far and near, 
 He passes on and leaves both sun and 
 Moon behind ; and quick as thought he 
 Moves the veil, and sports with systems well 
 Arranged, though wheeling like the globe on 
 Which we live, and much more distant 
 Than the sun or moon ; how quick the 
 Eye a perfect view doth take and mark each 
 Law which governs all, however distant in 
 Yon space. 
 
 Who can tell the far surpassing joy of minds 
 So well adorned. 
 
 If happiness and joy be seated in the 
 Mind, or counted as the workings of its 
 Powers, if numerous objects range within 
 Its view, expanding daily from the scenes 
 Of beauty which adorn immensity at 
 Large, how far advanced is he, who 
 Marks sublime displays which tell 
 Mankind, that hands Divine hath 
 Wrought each wonder that he sees 
 Around, abroad, and up, though far 
 Extended in yon distant space. He sees 
 
49 
 
 Almighty power well arrayed, and 
 Knows at once that he's advanced as 
 Far^beyond the ignorant, and the low, 
 As they hold rank above the brute. 
 Forsooth each branch of rational thouirht 
 Inhales emotions pleasing to the mind. 
 How often do we greet new objects which 
 Arise, with warm emotions, such as we 
 Would fail in effort to describe : 
 Yea, objects new and wondrous in 
 Themselves, though bidding explanation at 
 Our hands. Hence we are taught to 
 Shrink from nothing by the way, till 
 Truth ordains and proves us right or 
 Wrong ; experience is the better school ; 
 Thou£!:h first we're iojnorant of the 
 A. B. C, yet perseverance makes us 
 Learn (though not from books alone, 
 Except the ample sheet that nature 
 Doth control) what wiser heads might 
 Agitate in vain. 
 
 A gentle taste for knowledge, and deeper 
 Powers still for acquisition, do hold in 
 Part, the throne of every human mind : 
 Omnipotence, indeed, is here displayed. 
 While planting deep what seems a wish 
 To know the cause of each effect. 
 There's pleasure too, seen hovering 
 3* 
 
50 
 
 Round each curious object in our path : 
 
 While prompt as any feature of the 
 
 Mind, it points out wonders far 
 
 And near, and makes creation, 
 
 (That grand and perfect chart,) 
 
 The record of His ways ; while each 
 
 Progressive step unfolds sublime 
 
 And noble truths, and tells 
 
 Mankind how much he stands the 
 
 Subject of Jehovah's will. 
 
 How oft we find fictitious tales the 
 
 Subject of men's thoughts ; unguarded 
 
 In their minds, how cheerful they 
 
 Can sit while poring o'er some foolish 
 
 Bream, which when recounted, only 
 
 Tends to curl the brain, and mar each 
 
 Thought of solid worth. 
 
 If knowledge be the gem, let fiction 
 
 Be consumed by firm and wholesome facts ; 
 
 And soon vast universe will teem 
 
 With observation, while her wonders will 
 
 Secure ten thousand times more 
 
 Pleasure than fiction can array. 
 
 Drink deep the scientific draught 
 
 And stimulate thy searchings afier truth ; 
 
 View o'er eflfecis from gravitation which do flow, 
 
 Contemplate rivulets confined, with mighty rivers 
 
 As they flow, and let each cataract which roars 
 
51 
 
 Bespeak a principle sublime. 
 
 Conceive the mountain's solid base, and 
 
 Ocean's surest bed, and tell the human 
 
 Race, that gravitation ceasing would 
 
 Hurl them through most distant voids of 
 
 Space. 
 
 How gently falls the rain which waters eardi ; 
 
 And dew which freshens every plant ; 
 
 Disorder nowhere interferes in nature's vast 
 
 And complicated spheres. 
 
 But order reigns throughout ; 
 
 Worlds on worlds their wonted course pursue, 
 
 While sun and moon (those gems of earth,) 
 
 Return to run their trackless rounds 
 
 Through heaven's broad highway. 
 
 What then can please a being more, 
 
 (Possessed of powers such as man,) than facts 
 
 Which touch the secret spring that moves 
 
 Creation's vast machine, and well define 
 
 The means by which the God of nature 
 
 Brings about designs. 
 
 How delightful is the path that leads 
 
 Through nature's field ; each recess, there, 
 
 Completes a world, and points the traveler 
 
 To such means as bring to view phenomena 
 
 Most sublime. 
 
 And thus it is, Jehovah spreads His 
 
 Wondrous works before our view, demanding 
 
52 
 
 Not a brute's unconscious gaze, but deep 
 
 And gravest thought, in viewing o'er witli 
 
 Sacred pleasure grand results of wisdom, 
 
 Boundless in her source. 
 
 View o'er immensity at large, see there, ^ 
 
 The-fairest objects known to man 
 
 Crowned with laurels, such as feed proud 
 
 Science undefiled, how gentle, mild. 
 
 And graceful, doth she shine. 
 
 Planets, globes, and worlds, much larger 
 
 Than our own, when seen at work. 
 
 Each in particular spheres, present . 
 
 No discord in their tread ; but moving 
 
 On, magnificent and proud, bespeaking 
 
 Well the mighty hand that strikes 
 
 Yon hidden springs, and prompts each 
 
 Movement of unnumbered worlds. 
 
 Each truth in combination with Jehovah's 
 
 Will unfolds a rich display, and fills each 
 
 Hear^ with joyous praise. 
 
 Conceive the joy of him who views the works of 
 
 Art and sees the high wrought structure as 
 
 It stands, and thinks perfection far outdone ; 
 
 But wake anew, those passions restless, fierce, 
 
 And ever grasping for more joys, and 
 
 Quick as thought, they glance at infinite 
 
 Wisdom round about, and feel that 
 
 Human heart could never thus display. 
 
53 
 
 F(jnij, pruportioEi, With each texture round 
 
 About, instil emotions far beyond descriptive 
 
 Praise. The color of each cloud that mantles 
 
 Suinmer's sky, more^ gorgeous far than all 
 
 The gold of earth, bespeaks in part, Almighty 
 
 Wisdom as it is ; pregnant with importance 
 
 To mankind, such studies tend to calm 
 
 The human mind, and bear with 
 
 lMea>nne eacli and every burden, when 
 
 Imposed by dis[)enHalions of Jehovah's 
 
 IMoral rule. 
 
 Behold Omnipotence displayed in 
 
 Every plant and shrub. 
 
 Conceive the merit of each liviuir thinir 
 
 Which peoples air, the water, or the earth ; 
 
 And see how well adapted each to his 
 
 Particular sphere, or mode of life, to well 
 
 Enjoy those wants supplied by power that's 
 
 Supreme. 
 
 How just, that we contentment should evince 
 
 When thus apprised of power that's thus SupremCj 
 
 And ever prompt to make each happy in 
 
 His sphere. 
 
 No poisonous-viper e'er w^ould sting die 
 
 Peace, the joy, or pleasures of mankind 
 
 [f ignorance were dispelled, and 
 
 Cupidity annulled. 
 
 Thhik for once bow faithless man would 
 
54 
 
 Prove, to charge his Maker with revenge ; 
 
 No slaughtering band Is prompted by His 
 
 Hand ; but all those heaps of slaughtered 
 
 Men, with wrecked humanity at large, 
 
 Cupidity hath slain. 
 
 No mortal combat prompted by his mandate 
 
 Ever issued from His throne ; but each and 
 
 Every precept bears a wreath more splendid 
 
 Than the sun, or that which ever flattered 
 
 Human pride. 
 
 Hence, we see enjoyment spring from knowledge ; 
 
 While unthinking minds are but so 
 
 Many blanks. 
 
 Science gives sweet solace to the rnlnd; 
 
 And shines like one eternal day ; 
 
 Fed with nourishment refined, no wealth, 
 
 Rank, or style, can snatch the prize, or 
 
 Conquer that which gives each thought. 
 
 Each word, or look, a smiling brow ; 
 
 How few enjoy life's pleasures as they are, 
 
 Though long retired from its busy scenes, yet 
 
 Still there seems an aching void which gold 
 
 Or jewels ne'er can fill ; time hath silenced 
 
 Each and every note of praise, and 
 
 Rendered all their burning raptures 
 
 Cold. 
 
 Life's sparkling river rolls with tlireatening 
 
 Aspect on, and still no gleam of hope 
 
55 
 
 Bids ignorance rest at ease ; unused 
 
 To intellectual treats, or rational thougliC, 
 
 No joys remain for them ; but desolation 
 
 Seems abroad, each movement here 
 
 Or there seems but a pastime for each 
 
 Idle day ; each look a wandering gaze. 
 
 Unconscious of creation's choicest gems. Each 
 
 Idle thought, and gossip of the day, proves 
 
 Well how few the joys they feel, derived 
 
 From thoughts original in themselves. 
 
 Who dare dispute that joys of real worth are 
 
 Emblems of each rational mind, while 
 
 Science fills each void, and gratifies 
 
 Unyielding search. 
 
 In vain opinions clash ; each process, and 
 
 Each motion, heralds well the mighty 
 
 Truth which animates tlie soul, and wakes 
 
 The spirit from its sleeping mood. 
 
 When pleasant tidings drawn from studies 
 
 Thus sublime, shall reach each hamlet 
 
 Far and near, distinction quick will 
 
 Lose h«r sway, while equal rights as soon 
 
 Will lead the way. 
 
 Enjoyment takes its nourishment from 
 
 Mind ; and he who's trained to rational 
 
 Thought, enjoys far more of life, than he 
 
 Who tips the cup of sensual bliss. 
 
 If to-morrow we can greet a change, and 
 
56 
 
 Find each mind an intellectual 
 
 Prize, how cheerful could we count each 
 
 Dying groan of avarice and lust, 
 
 And talk of conquests made by science 
 
 Of the world. 
 
57 
 
 CANTO IV. 
 
 PRACTICAL SCIENCE AS APPLICABLE TO THE CfENERAL WANTS 
 OP MANKIxND. 
 
 Conceive, if tbought can comprehend, 
 That locomotive, made by hands supreme 
 Which move vast worlds, and wheels 
 Immensity around. 
 
 View well each fine and complicated part. 
 And you, to tell the truth, must see 
 That human art can never once compete ; 
 Though age on age may roll their withering 
 Rounds, yet still creation bears no mar* 
 That mars the grandeur of her face : 
 Her axle, worked from metals well 
 Refined, can ne'er diminish by the 
 Wreck of time ; though globes may burden 
 Every wheel, yet still they sport with 
 Thought, and smile at telegraphic speed. 
 But look around, where art with all its 
 Grandeur stood, and cities teeming- 
 Here and there with busy crowds, while 
 On yon plains stood firm the thrones of 
 Empires mouldering to decay ; 
 3 
 
58 
 
 How awfully mournful is the thought, 
 That places once so full of hfe, 
 Lie now, like solitary tombs, 
 A footpath for each passer by : 
 Within each rampart wall a mournful 
 Silence reigns ; those prostrate marble 
 Piles once stood erect, and graced 
 The temples of their lords. 
 But now, where now exist those grand 
 And towering piles f the answer echoes 
 Back, a mournful skeleton betrays. 
 Whence, ah whence, originates tbat deadly 
 Stroke which stilled those busy crowds ? 
 Each place which gave amusement to the 
 Throng, presents the solitude of death ; 
 The throi^s and palaces of kings arc 
 Swayed by beasts, and unclean reptiles 
 Haunt the temples of tlie Gods. 
 Thus, art like man, seems destined to 
 Decay. No human arm can stay the sure 
 Result ; but on the wheel of time each 
 One is rolled, till life seems struggling 
 For the profits of the past. 
 Man in ages just begun, launched forth, 
 Unclothed in body or in mind, and found 
 Himself the lord of nature's rudest state ; 
 He sought contentment far and near, 
 And grasped whatever instinct taught 
 
59 
 
 Him were his wants. 
 
 Like brutes, without experience of the past, 
 
 Or what might overtake, he strode through 
 
 Glens and forests deep, with nought to 
 
 Guide except what nature first bestowed; 
 
 Appetite compelled a search for that which 
 
 Might appease. 
 
 Pride and comfort sought a covering for 
 
 The skin ; while love still stronger than the rest, 
 
 Impelled a union of race 
 
 That's proved an increase worthy of a place : 
 
 Experience soon engendered motives 
 
 Pure and vivid, far outstripping discord 
 
 With tliemselves, which must have 
 
 IJurst each link which held the 
 
 Youthful band, had Arction seized the gem 
 
 Which preservation taught 
 
 Must follow every step. 
 
 Conscious of dependence as they were, 
 
 Each one united strength and courage 
 
 With the rest. 
 
 When danger came around, each eflort 
 
 Was for all, and love 
 
 Became the prompter of each move; 
 
 When thus combined to join in life's 
 
 Most pleasing joys, some leisure must 
 
 Have intervened ; forsooth we see that 
 
 Thought was interchanged for thought, 
 
60 
 
 Willie earth, the heavens, and existence 
 
 Of itself, became a source of wonder 
 
 And of praise. 
 
 Yes, instinct taught mankind that 
 
 Science moved the world. 
 
 It threw at once the vast expanse of 
 
 Heaven's arch within his grasp. 
 
 And taught him well to read 
 
 Yon volume compiled from glittering 
 
 Stars. It taught him well what bound the 
 
 Atoms of our globe, and how each orb 
 
 Was held in steady march. 
 
 Attraction, yes attraction, that law of 
 
 Nature and of universal worlds, 
 
 If once dissolved, earths destiny is told ; 
 
 Ocean's waves must fly in wild disorder ; 
 
 Hocks and mountains heaved from oft' 
 
 Their base, while trees would gather, root 
 
 And branch, and fly through space 
 
 Widiout a helm. 
 
 No longer would the orb of night her 
 
 Ancient course pursue, or planets in 
 
 Their wonted spheres revolve. 
 
 But dashing with each mighty world 
 
 In shattered fragments here and there. 
 
 Nought but desolation and disorder 
 
 Would prevail. 
 
 Suspend the passion love, and earth 
 
61 
 
 Would 'soon present, nonglitbut 
 Congregated hosts with fiend hke venom, 
 Spreading far its deathly langs to 
 Prostrate every hope of life. 
 Kingdoms would be rent, and governniciits 
 Annulled, families dispersed, and 
 Friendship burst asunder. 
 All rules would be suspended ; wlfde wars 
 Would be proli-acled, and scaled witli 
 Human blood. 
 
 Anarchy would triainjih o'er human 
 IMinds, and desolation run like rivers in 
 Their course. 
 
 Thank science then for her most timely aid ; 
 Though slow in gathering in a. harvest 
 Boundless in its wealth, yet still each 
 Mile contributes to the general fund^ 
 Which sure must renovate a world. 
 Mark well its adaptadon to our wants ; 
 Art moves on perfected by its well known laws. 
 While mechanics prove its usefulness for them. 
 No branch of labor but makes 
 Improvement with its aid. 
 Let him who cultivates the soil 
 Make use of scientific means, and soon an 
 Increase, doubly great, would spring 
 From every source. 
 ^^o fancy sketch is this, to sting 
 
62 
 
 And agitate the brain ; but truth in all 
 
 Its strength, and beauty is its gem, 
 
 Adorned by nature, and by nature's God. 
 
 The poet well exclaims 
 
 *' For me kind nature wakes her genial power 
 
 Suckles each herb, and spreads out every flower : 
 
 Annual for me, the grape — the rose renew 
 
 The juice nectarious, and the balmy dew ; 
 
 For me the mind a thousand treasures brings ; 
 
 For me health gushes from a thousand springs ; 
 
 Seas roll to waft me, suns to light me rise, 
 
 JMy footstool earth, my canopy the skies." 
 
 The rolling waves, the sun's unwearied course, 
 
 The elements, and seasons, all declare 
 
 For what the eternal maker has ordained 
 
 The powers of man ; we feel within ourselves 
 
 llis energy divine : He tells the heart 
 
 He meant, He made us to behold and love what 
 
 He beholds and loves ; the general orb of life 
 
 And being ; to be great like him, 
 
 Beneficent and active. 
 
 Mathematics is a well known theme 
 
 That's worthy of pursuit. 
 
 No just conceptions can be made 
 
 Of vast and countless hosts that people 
 
 Worlds, and move within the limits of 
 
 Jehovah's realm ; no limits can be fixed 
 
 To earth's enormous bulk without some aid 
 
63 
 
 From mathematics well resolved. 
 
 We see stretched far before our view, 
 
 Magnitude stupendous, with spaces 
 
 And distances so vast that calculation 
 
 Fails, and ofuimes leave nought but 
 
 Vague and doubtful truths. 
 
 Systematic truths can never be too much 
 
 Adored. 
 
 No human mind can ever be content to 
 
 Think tliat God's creative power lies confined 
 
 Witliln this liule globe. 
 
 Not so, but systems, millions, which arc 
 
 Ranged wliliin our sight, are still but mites 
 
 When once compai'ed with myriads 
 
 kScatlered tlirough Immensity at large ; 
 
 Where is he who dares to doubt that such 
 
 Conceptions lack for proof. 
 
 Can man conceive beyond vvhat God can do ? 
 
 Nothing but quite impossible is hard ; 
 
 He summons into being vi^ith like ease 
 
 A whole creation or a slna;le icrain : 
 
 Speaks He the word, a thousand worlds are born ; 
 
 A thousand worlds, there's space for 
 
 rvJillions more. 
 
 And in w4iat space can his great fiat fail ? 
 
 Condemn me not cold critic ; but indulge 
 
 The warm imagination : why condemn ? 
 
 Why not indulge such thoughts as fill 
 
64 
 
 Our hearts with fuller admiration of that 
 
 Power, which gives our hearts with such high 
 
 Thoughts to swell. 
 
 Why not indulge in His augmented praise ; 
 
 Darts not His glory a still brighter ray ? 
 
 The less is left to chaos, and the 
 
 Realms of hideous night. 
 
 Replenish mind, for knowledge is a food 
 
 That's nourishment to all. 
 
 Drink deep the draught of astronomical 
 
 Surveys, which mai'k the distance 
 
 And magnitudes of worlds bequeathed 
 
 To universe at large ; sublime and 
 
 Noble, far outstripping every science yet 
 
 Within our grasp. 
 
 It brino;s to view sublime and countless 
 
 Worlds adorned with splendor ; and 
 
 Accompanying trains which niove without 
 
 Confus^n or delay; displaying in their ])ump, 
 
 Jehovah's mighty arm, energy, and force : 
 
 Enlarged are views which spring from 
 
 Sources thus sublime. 
 
 Creation's vast extent with all its marshalled 
 
 Ilostg, are better known than when a 
 
 Midnight darkness shadowed earth, in 
 
 Ages long since past. 
 
 Earth is but a grain, when compared with 
 
 Bodies ushered on throughout immensity's 
 
65 
 
 Domain. 
 
 Worlds on workls exist, ten tlioiisand 
 
 Times more bulky ihan our own ; 
 
 While lie, who moves with golden .splendor 
 
 Through the day, shedding light and 
 
 Comfort round, can measui'e arms with 
 
 Globes a million times more huge 
 
 Than that assigned to us. 
 
 Speed with all its mighty force, congeals, 
 
 Compared to bodies filling space. 
 
 No mind but what's astonished and 
 
 Amazed ; it sees and knows that 
 
 Globes exist beyond the computation of 
 
 The mind, their course, a course through 
 
 Regions far, to which no human mind 
 
 Can fix a bound. 
 
 How vast the field spread out before 
 
 Our view ; eacli moral agent there 
 
 Beholds a mirror, transparent, 
 
 Reflecting attributes Divine. 
 
 Astonishment may w^ell lay hold, when 
 
 Facts develop every law, and laws which 
 
 8eem to govern man, as well as 
 
 Nature's universal plan. , > 
 
 In vain are human ills ascribed, as ^some JncL. 
 
 Would please, to strange mysterious gods e'^V 
 
 Though ofttiiiics subject to the raging 
 
 Storm, and made- the subject of superior 
 
G6 
 
 Rules, yet still no blinJ fatality destroys ; 
 Swayed by nature's laws as firiii as these 
 Which move creation rounds he stands a 
 Wonder to himself, and counts thaf 
 Common source from which both good and 
 Evil flow, the very essence of his life. 
 Mark well the compound of these laws ; 
 And study thine own nature as it is ; 
 And that of those with whom you join 
 In every turn of life, and you, the 
 Better judge, must learn the source of 
 Evils as they flow, and learn as well, 
 The antidote for each. 
 That God who formed both globe and 
 Earth, formed man, who stands the 
 Lord of every species on the earth. 
 Essential properties bestowed on each. 
 Became the law of every step ; 
 Forsooth He thereby formed a regular 
 Order for each cause, as well as 
 Each eflx3Ct ; hence, fire moves with 
 Rapid strides, and leaves an 
 Impress of its speed ; while air 
 Buoys lip, and proves elastic in its 
 Every state. 
 
 Density of eardi, with each and every 
 Grain, however small, as well as every 
 Law which governs in its place, must 
 
67 
 
 Be preserved. 
 
 But man, proud man, avoids each 
 
 Fatal stroke ; because of what be sees, 
 
 And what be feels. 
 
 Endowed wiih god-like nature as be is, 
 
 Each action hurtful to sensation bids 
 
 Him turn away, while that which pleases. 
 
 Prompts him to advance. 
 
 Drawn at times within the vortex which 
 
 Destroys, and then again allured to that 
 
 Which soothes, he grasps the boon which 
 
 Seems the harbinger of life. 
 
 He marks the order of each step, 
 
 And learns from instinct as he dwells, 
 
 Thatlove, and joy, together with aversion 
 
 To each pain, are laws imposed by 
 
 Nature's purest code ; and still like those 
 
 Of motion in each moving world, 
 
 Are but illustrations, marking well 
 
 Each stage of human life. 
 
 Such, and such alone, is man's 
 
 Condition on the earth : 
 
 Not alone exposed to nature's warring 
 
 Elements, but evils numerous haunt 
 
 His every step ; and mark, if ere 
 
 Proud nature seems severe, again 
 
 She's mild, and seems indulgent, 
 
 Tempering evil with equivalent good, 
 
68 
 
 She holds the poise, aial grants the 
 
 Balance to each case. 
 
 He then who censures nature's finn 
 
 Decrees, Is but a novice, trained fron^ 
 
 Choice. 
 
 Standing within grasping distance of the 
 
 Poise, his destiny is his, if fortune smiles 
 
 Or frowns, he reaps alike the harvest 
 
 Of his day. 
 
G9 
 
 CANTO V. 
 
 SC FENCE AS TENDINCr TO DEVELOP THE CKARACTEil AND AT- 
 TRIBUTES OF DEITY. 
 
 How far from east to west ? The lab'ring eye 
 Can scarce the distant azure bounds descry; 
 So vast, this world's a grain ; yet myriads grace 
 With golden pomp the thronged etherial space. 
 How great, how firm, how sacred all appears ! 
 How worthy an immortal God; whose works be- 
 speak 
 Omnipotence Divine. 
 
 Each word, each thought or deed, with every 
 Mite wliich fills creation's space, 
 Speaks forth Jehovah's mandate : proving 
 Well, that each event, or each specific thing, 
 Springs fresh from His decrees. 
 No vain or surplus structures seem 
 To intervene, but all is worthy of the 
 Strictest care, lest man mistake the 
 Truth, and count it but a vision dreary, 
 Unfitted for a thinking mind. 
 How slight the knowledge we possess of 
 
70 
 
 Him, whose footstool is the earth ; 
 
 While, with like ease, He makes assembled 
 
 Worlds the record, and the store-house 
 
 Of His wants. 
 
 No finite mind can ever solve siicli 
 
 Essence as Divine. 
 
 Revelation but alone can give, 
 
 With scenes in universe around, that 
 
 Lio-htninc: Hance which searches out 
 
 Jehovah's mighty will. 
 
 Each moral trait, like justice, mercy, 
 
 And the like, are marked more 
 
 Fully in that volume termed the 
 
 Revelation of his will ; while nature 
 
 Leaves obscure such traits, and makes 
 
 A doubtful ray from which to form 
 
 An impress of His v^ays. 
 
 The attributes most natural to Himself, 
 
 Are, goodness, wisdom, together with 
 
 Those vast omnipotent displays which 
 
 Draw the mind away, and waft it 
 
 Up on golden pinions to the skies. 
 
 Hence a combination here seems wanting, 
 
 Lest the structure fail to be complete ; 
 
 No one, distinct, can light a proper 
 
 Torch to search the records, written full, 
 
 Throughout the empire of Jehovah God. 
 
 He who forms opinions truly just of 
 
71 
 
 Him who ma'de, and Him who holds 
 
 Creation in His hand, must study 
 
 Sacred writ ; and view His vast 
 
 Material works, which hear with certain 
 
 Weight in illustration of His word ; 
 
 No slight, or careless view seems fitted 
 
 To unfold such ample truths. 
 
 That savage stare which marks 
 
 The ignorant mind will not the 
 
 Problem solve ; but penetrating thought 
 
 Must search, and search by light which 
 
 Science hath diffused. 
 
 Those works more fitly termed the 
 
 Works of God, demand a deep and 
 
 Serious thought ; or far from right 
 
 Conceptions will we form, when viewing 
 
 O'er his purposes so great, and 
 
 His character so pure. 
 
 We find imprinted on his works, (when 
 
 Viewed with proper care) a portrait of 
 
 Desion. 
 
 Nothing but perfection can we find; 
 
 Hence we attribute it to God ; and 
 
 Estimate His character sublime : 
 
 He who's unaccustomed to adore, or 
 
 He, whose mind cannot divine those 
 
 Laws which work and move creation round, 
 
 Can form but vague and \veak ideas, 
 
72 
 
 When nature's creed lies spread before 
 His eyes. 
 
 He thinks the earth a solid mass, 
 With water in the midst ; 
 While sun and moon, and stars, 
 He represents as passing round to please 
 His taste, and light the earth from which 
 His nourishment is drawn. 
 'Tis true such vacrue ideas of God's 
 Material world, (if such could be 
 The case,) might well nigh shock the 
 JMind, and make it stand amazed at 
 Power thus driving worlds with lightning 
 Speed, around the little globe on which 
 We live. 
 
 Strange would be our thoughts of Him who 
 Reared a structure thus confused ; 
 At once we'd form ideas the most distorted 
 Of His wisdom now so comprehensive and so 
 (:Jreat. 
 
 'Tis true His omnipotence would increase 
 But His wisdom would diminish in 
 *JPffect. 
 
 Each rational mind will see at once, 
 That such conceptions, charge Jehovah 
 With superfluous works to bring about 
 His great designs. 
 But grasp the light which science hath arousedj 
 
73 
 
 And look around through nature's vast 
 Domain, and see if each, and all of 
 His constructed works, doth not repel 
 The charge. 
 
 Each one can see that nature's object is 
 To bring about both day and night ; 
 Surely then if order would prevail, 
 The earth itself, must roll around like 
 Globes much larger in their bulk. 
 How vastly different then, are notions so absurd 
 As those which move the whole creation 
 Round, and make this little globe or 
 Earth, the target of their sport. 
 The man who thus presumes to think or say, 
 Can form but slight and narrow views of 
 Him, whose wisdom oversees 
 The whole department of His works. 
 Suppose the earth stood still, a fixed 
 And solid mass, the aspect of those moving 
 Planets now so far away, would prove a • 
 Series of irregular curves, and spread 
 The solar system out, a complicated 
 Thing. ^ _ ,^ 
 
 No order would prevail ; but confusion 
 Would destroy all harmony throughout; 
 Hence the truth, that nature viewed 
 Through ignorance, or with careless eyes, 
 Obscures that wisdom now Divine ; 
 4. 
 

 74 
 
 And thus would give His character 
 The He. 
 
 But give to nature what we term its 
 Proper course, and well may we exclaim 
 Thy works are perfect, Lord, Jehovah. God. 
 Let him who thinks the earth the 
 Largest body filling space 
 Arouse from stupid thoughts like these, 
 And learn as quick, that his conception? 
 Fall as short of Him who formed both 
 Man and earth, as those which make 
 The earth the most stupendous globe. 
 Far outstripping each that fills to 
 Him yon seeming empty space. 
 'Tis he, who's sane of mind, that knows 
 (If he would form conceptions just of attributes 
 Divine,) a corresponding view must sure 
 Be had with that which taught us of 
 His empire's grandeur and extent. 
 How truly science leads the way ; 
 While observation draws us on, and 
 preads out nature in its proper 
 
 ight. 
 
 It feeds the curious mind, and draws it 
 
 For away amongst Almighty problems 
 
 There to trace those wonders fully grown, 
 
 And all so beautifully displayed. 
 
 Those truths which science prints on every page, 
 
75 
 
 Are rays, celestial rays, which spring 
 
 From fountains rich to light the human 
 
 Mind with knawledge of that God, whose ways, 
 
 Though ways mysterious they may he, are 
 
 Just and true, pointing out His will more 
 
 Fully in the revelation of His word. 
 
 If we would comprehend His greatness 
 
 As it is, or gain a knowledge of His attributes 
 
 So pure, science and revelation we'll 
 
 Combine, and hence learn his character 
 
 Divine. 
 
 That word inspired as His own. 
 
 Amplifies His character, and settles moral 
 
 Plans. 
 
 Science well explains the revelation of 
 
 His word ; it moves the shroud from off 
 
 His works, and drives that mist aw^ay 
 
 Which io;norance throws around. 
 
 Passing on, it lights us througli the secret 
 
 Chambers of His works, and shows 
 
 Those hidden springs, which toss about 
 
 The ignorant and the low. -^^ 
 
 While changing nature's aspect as it should, -W"^' 
 
 It brings within our grasp those mighly 
 
 Wonders of the sky, and lifts the vail 
 
 From off those laws, by which Jehovah 
 
 Moves the, world, and makes it pay 
 
 Due homage to His will. 
 
76 
 
 Hence extra effort should be brought 
 
 To search out causes still unknown, 
 
 That each may learn to form more 
 
 Just conceptions of their maker God; 
 
 Science proves harmonious order to prevail ; 
 
 It shows no discord, where observation 
 
 Ever yet has reached. 
 
 So justice then, compels us to conclude 
 
 That all is ruled by power ali-wnse, 
 
 As well as single, and alone. 
 
 We look abroad on each surrounding thing, 
 
 And find one law that governs all ; 
 
 Each thing preserves its regular course, 
 
 While cause produces each effect; 
 
 Vegetation springs alike from each peculiar 
 
 Source, while brutes are reared 
 
 Each like from like ; and pass aw^ay 
 
 To prove a corresponding law. 
 
 Man though noble far above the rest, 
 
 Lives, and moves, and acts, but still 
 
 Those laws which govern all, seems not 
 
 Unmindful of the noble prize, w-hen 
 
 Man is seized, and made to mingle 
 
 With the dust. 
 
 The elements around bear marks of wise 
 
 Design ; fitted, each and all, as they most 
 
 Surely are, to make man's happiness 
 
 Complete, 
 
77 
 
 How true the logic then, where such 
 
 Resemblance is complete, that all must 
 
 Spring from one, the same, and God-like 
 
 Source. 
 
 Tiiose plants and herbs, 'tis true, which 
 
 Nourish some, inflict a wound on others. 
 
 Named a kindred of the race. 
 
 But still we find on looking o'er, a food 
 
 That's nourishment to all. 
 
 Hence the firm belief, that works like , 
 
 These, have sprung from one whose power 
 
 Equals only His almighty will. 
 
 Not only day and night return with 
 
 Uniform career, but seasons, various 
 
 As they are, revolve in strict obedience 
 
 To His law. 
 
 Atmospheric composition is the same 
 
 Whatever latitude we take. 
 
 And heat spreads round 
 
 By none but laws the same ; 
 
 Hence stones will fall to earth. 
 
 And planets roll in revolutions round the 
 
 Sun, while earth presents a solid 
 
 Compact mass. 
 
 No other inference then, can fairly be of 
 
 Truth, but that, which fully gives control to 
 
 God, and makes a single agency in all. 
 
 The more our views extend through 
 
Universe around, the move we see united 
 
 Operalions through the whole ; proving most 
 
 Conchisive that Cod is one alone. 
 
 Material world presents when science dolh 
 
 Peruse, a wondrous distribution, proving 
 
 Mighty wisdom as directing at the 
 
 Helm. 
 
 Atmospheric properties, such as light's 
 
 Prodigious flight, with its particles 
 
 Minute, and. adapted to the eye. 
 
 All compute the wisdom of their Author, 
 
 And command our adoration. 
 
 No object that we see, within, around, 
 
 On mountain, or on plain ; in air, in 
 
 Ocean, or the sky, but what displays 
 
 The skill of mighty hands. 
 
 How well such facts make 
 
 Proof of knowledge great as well 
 
 As infinite ; stamped so plain and 
 
 Firm upon the face of nature as 
 
 She stands. 
 
 Each circumstance, adjusted nice 
 
 iVnd in its proper place, preserves 
 
 The poise which holds. all nature up ; 
 
 Aiid grants all joy and safety to our 
 
 Race. 
 
 What deathly havoc would ensue 
 
 If gas, what some term oxygen, 
 
' 79 
 
 Vv a.-3 not so.iiicety portioiiud ji»uud ; 
 All nature would arouse 
 And heave in wild confusion round, 
 While livino- species must but gasp, 
 .And moulder in the tomb. 
 Substitute a difierence in proportion of 
 Those gasses which the atmosphere compose, 
 And destruction would ensue ; 
 While ruptures would produce 
 Most horrible effects. m^ 
 
 Did atmosphere possess proportions 
 Like acids we could name, 
 All breathing would decrease ; 
 And vital energy would 
 Cease* 
 
 Each means «eems adjusted 
 To its ends ; evincing, as it were, 
 That comprehensive wisdom 
 Penetrating far through every operation 
 And every combination. 
 This however is but one, combined 
 With numerous cases science takes 
 To prove the wisdom and economy of 
 God." 
 
 From ignorance of such facts. 
 The bulk of human mind is still 
 O'ercast with shadows dark ; 
 And fail to comprehend the 
 
80 
 
 'Blessings they enjoy. 
 
 We see the human body, a wonder 
 
 Of itself; the numerous little muscles 
 
 With the bones which form the frame, 
 
 Constitute a problem which science 
 
 Can adjust. 
 
 The ear, a member so essential, 
 
 And so perfect in its place, 
 
 Renders service like the eye, 
 
 That gives us warning of assault, 
 
 While from pleasing entertainments 
 
 Spring their endless joys. 
 
 The world we see seems formed to 
 
 Gratify the eye. 
 
 Hence those fine constructed coats 
 
 Some opaque and some transparent 
 
 Wuh humors different in their form 
 
 While each is formed for each 
 
 Particular use and made to view 
 
 All objects round without a sense of 
 
 Pain. 
 
 Its workmanship is vast ; 
 
 Constructed as it is, the world's a 
 
 Mijror in its view, and pleases every 
 
 Sense. 
 
 It waaders o'er the mountain, and 
 
 The vale ; and catches fertile plains 
 
 As it grasps the mighty ocean ; 
 
81 
 
 And sweeps the tints of sky ; 
 
 As red, or white, might dazzle that 
 
 Pecuhar vision, the heavens and the 
 
 Earth are clothed with proper hues, 
 
 So diversified with shades, that 
 
 Pleasure is imparted by the landscape 
 
 Which surrounds. 
 
 Sensations thus refined, are not essential 
 
 To existence or to life. 
 
 Vision for self-existing uses would have 
 
 Needed no refinement. 
 
 And thus it is with feeling, and every 
 
 Other sense which human nature knows. 
 
 But where would be the proof too 
 
 Firm to be impeached, of that wisdom. 
 
 Now so great, as our Maker's and 
 
 Protector's seems to be. 
 
 Should we attempt enumeration of 
 
 That brilliant train which sports 
 
 Throughout creation's mighty space, 
 
 Our thoughts must surely fail ; 
 
 Though still a volume we might 
 
 Swell, exceeding far the bounds of 
 
 Proper taste. 
 
 The brute creation, marked widi 
 
 All and each peculiar part, 
 
 Evinces well the great ordainer 
 
 Of their ways. 
 
 4* 
 
82 
 
 Possessed with forms and muscles filled 
 
 Tp each tribe, which almost dare 
 
 An explanation at our handa^ 
 
 All nature seems alive with numerouFi 
 
 Tribes which move around, differing in 
 
 Their shape and form ; rerfuiring 
 
 Each a different food to gratify 
 
 Their taste. 
 
 Vegetation too, springs forth an emblem 
 
 Proving wi'se design. 
 
 Each root and trunk, with branches 
 
 Leaves and skin, bear marks no less 
 
 Of wise design, than veins which 
 
 Feed each spreading branch, and give a 
 
 Lovely hue to all connected with its 
 
 Base. 
 
 We see the 'trepid oak standing 
 
 Firm the summer breeze, 
 
 And welcome to its embrace ibo 
 
 Winter's fiercest blast ; 
 
 Its strong and steady branches 
 
 All seem strangers to defeat. 
 
 While it proves itself the lord of 
 
 Nature's plants. 
 
 A train so numerous as the plant, 
 
 Marks well the chieftain, who commands 
 
 Each size, each height, each leaf; 
 
 Some large, with others small, 
 
83 
 
 Astonish mind, and prompt mankind, 
 
 Through every chme to bow in 
 
 Adoration at their shrine : 
 
 Those numerous flowers, dressing every chme 
 
 And every field, speak forth in 
 
 Wisdom's voice, and point directly 
 
 To a source divine. 
 
 The various species differing far in 
 
 Form and hue, assume a garb 
 
 Peculiar to their grade ; while 
 
 All is marked with wisdom brilliant. 
 
 And with care. 
 
 Some are stately as to size. 
 
 And seem to reign with kingly 
 
 Pomp, and sway the sceptre o'er the rest ; 
 
 While others creep in simple silence 
 
 Round, and seem to blush when'er 
 
 Thev're seen. 
 
 Such however, are no less to be 
 
 Adored, than those possessed of 
 
 DazzUng hues, which sparkle forth their 
 
 Brilliant rays, to droop, decay. 
 
 And die. 
 
 Microscopic search when moved 
 
 To lift that scroll which darkens 
 
 Natural eyes, unfolds astounding facts ; 
 
 And proves beyond a doubt, that 
 
 Plain distinctions do exist between 
 
84 
 
 The great and small that breathe the 
 
 Animal life. 
 
 Analogy seems scarcely to exist 
 
 To prove connexion with these 
 
 Different grades. 
 
 Common thought suggests that 
 
 Different laws sustain so marked 
 
 A difference as seems here displayed ; 
 
 But truth and reason say, 
 
 That man and brute receive 
 
 Sustaining care from laws which 
 
 Correspond. 
 
 Amazement seizes every nerve when 
 
 We attempt that expedition leading through 
 
 Creation's animated field ; 
 
 When thus engaged, we seem like 
 
 Wanderers in another w^orld ; 
 
 New scenes astonish every step. 
 
 And place before our view a 
 
 Race, which supercedes all calculation 
 
 We can make. 
 
 All shapes, all forms, we know exist, 
 
 But sdll by far the greater part 
 
 Is yet to be explained ; for aught 
 
 We know will so remain, for ever 
 
 Hid from mortal eyes. 
 
 Each pond, each ditch, each river. 
 
 Sea and ocean, holds its numerous hosts 
 
85 
 
 Exceeding far conception or belief; 
 They move and breathe while motions 
 Such as they display seem each a 
 Motion made by efibrts of their own. 
 Shrewdness too seems lingering with the 
 Race ; while fondness for those joys 
 Association brings, they seek like 
 Man, those cheering groups which give 
 Both life and comibrt to their 
 Days. 
 
 Forsooth, we safely can affirm, that 
 Beauties do exist concealed from 
 Natural eyes, exceeding far the visible 
 Econom.y of God. 
 
 How far beyond the range of microscopic 
 View creating power thus enlarged 
 Extends, no mortal mind can know ; 
 We see when magnifying powers are 
 Increased, more numerous objects 
 Round, but still no glass has ever 
 Yet been made to search the boundaries 
 Of creation out ; hence, reason says, 
 That none can search the living mites 
 Which people every realm. 
 But still how vast must be conceptions 
 Formed from what we see and what 
 We know of wisdom that creates ; 
 No task that seems too hard ; 
 
86 
 
 Worlds are moving round, and 
 
 None can tell for what ; 
 
 Each part seems wisely made, 
 
 Though man cannot divine. 
 
 External nature viewed as with the natural eye. 
 
 l^resents most numerous scenes ; 
 
 The mountain's ranire with summits 
 
 Towering high ; the hill and plain, 
 
 The waving curve which smiles o'er every 
 
 Landscape round, with oceans. 
 
 Lakes, and rivers swift, extort 
 
 Unbouaded praise ; whilst different 
 
 Shades, and different hues, 
 
 Astonish all, and please the eye of 
 
 Each beholder. 
 
 But pass the eye to regions in yon 
 
 Firmanent, — it scans not only grand. 
 
 But numerous hosts, amazing to 
 
 Behold. 
 
 The sun is found diversified with 
 
 Spots, and shapes that differ 
 
 Each in size, as well as in 
 
 Spheroidal shape throughout the 
 
 Solar system vast ; 
 
 Their atmospheric nature with 
 
 Those numerous moons surrounding 
 
 Centres, stupendous some, and 
 
 Differing all, but, each a world 
 
87 
 
 Which stands a wonder and a 
 
 Praise. 
 
 Could we but wake transported to 
 
 The surface of those orbs, 
 
 Prepared to know and understand, 
 
 What vast and countless beauties 
 
 Should we see ? 
 
 The mind can scarcely comprehend 
 
 Such workmanship 
 
 As there must be portrayed ; 
 
 And where is presumption that 
 
 Caa doubt, from infinite nature 
 
 Such as God assumes ; while still 
 
 There's other proof that each can 
 
 See, that vast arrangements 
 
 Far surpassing what we see, 
 
 Complete some mighty plan 
 
 And furnish seeming empty space 
 
 With that which only could 
 
 Complete and make her 
 
 Household full. 
 
 The moon, that next most useful 
 
 Orb, presents a surface vastly 
 
 Different from the earth ; 
 
 Its gentle rays give each a 
 
 Welcome to behold ; 
 
 That rivers, lakes, seas, and 
 
 Oceans great, do not encumber 
 
88 
 
 Or diversify its atmosphere 
 
 At all. 
 
 Though mountains, plains, bill and vales, 
 
 With insulated rocks, and caverns, 
 
 Forming every size and shape, 
 
 Seem .there to have a place. 
 
 Yet still they, differ far 
 
 From those in our terrestial 
 
 Sphere. 
 
 Their grandeur far suipasses that 
 
 Of which our earth can boast 
 
 Though a proper contrast we must 
 
 Fail to make. 
 
 Yet still it's reason to believe, that 
 
 All tlrose worlds which grace 
 
 Immensity of space, bear marks of 
 
 Different structure. 
 
 Which makes it logic to conclude, 
 
 That beings forming different ranks, 
 
 And different orders, do inhabit different 
 
 Globes. 
 
 What else but huge conceptions 
 
 Could we form of Him who made 
 
 The whole, could we survey a portion 
 
 Small, of nature's universal 
 
 Plan. 
 
 Views which grasp this universal plan, 
 
 Expand conceptions formed, of 
 
89 
 
 Character Divine. 
 
 Creative power vast, is there displayed 
 Which far outstrips the comprehension 
 Of a finite mind. 
 
 Survey the globe on which we dwell ; 
 Consider each enormous mass 
 Distinct and by itself; 
 Like continents, islands, with 
 The vast amount of water in each 
 Seii, each ocean, and each lake, 
 With mountains towering high, and 
 Rivers rolling rapid in their courses 
 To the sea, and amazement will 
 Lay hold when reflection doth record 
 The greatness of His majesty who 
 Formed. 
 
 But lift the eye to yonder arch, 
 Behold those globes which seem like 
 'Specks on heaven's vault. 
 Yet still contain more matter real, 
 Than worlds a million times 
 The bulk of this our own. 
 Those comets too, though less in bulk. 
 Which move throughout the depths of 
 Space, awake us from our 
 Slumbering mood. 
 
 While stars which stud the milky way 
 Proclaim such numbers, 
 
90 
 
 That we are left coiifoLinded, 
 
 And deprived of thought wlierewltli 
 
 To form a proper view. 
 
 Such scenes display a boundless wisdom, 
 
 So essential to control 
 
 Not only laws which govern all, 
 
 But vast dominions seem spread out 
 
 Which need protecting care. 
 
 Imagination strained to its most 
 
 Lofty flight, must fail in Its attempt 
 
 To grasp the splendor of those worlds, 
 
 Preserved and made by one 
 
 Eternal King. 
 
 Each motion of material world, 
 
 And every movement, breath or 
 
 Thought, which passes through unnumbered 
 
 Minds, seems present to omniscient 
 
 Eyes. 
 
 All, yes all, seems destined to complete 
 
 And aid the purpose of 
 
 Almighty will. 
 
 Hence while science moves us 
 
 Through the depths of space, 
 
 It tells of justice, wisdom, mercy, 
 
 And the like, and bids each one and 
 
 All to think of power that controls, 
 
 And heed its never-erring voice. 
 
'Jl 
 
 CANTO VI. 
 
 SCIENCE AS TENDING TO THE ADOPTION AND PROMULCATION 
 ■ OF MOIIAL nUNCirLE. 
 
 The mind can scarcely comprehend 
 
 Intrinsic worth derived from knowledge 
 
 Well refined. 
 
 It brightens every hope ; and cheers 
 
 That gloom which chills the soul 
 
 And spreads a curtain dark as 
 
 Midnight's cheerless rays o'er every 
 
 Hope of life. 
 
 It moves with promptness far away * 
 
 All darkness brooding o'er the mind, 
 
 And cancels every fear which seems 
 
 The offspring of romantic dreams; 
 
 Unloosed from chains which hold in 
 
 Bondage every thought, it searches 
 
 Every work, and drives each superstitious 
 
 Trait from oft its noble realm. 
 
 How quick it nerves the mind, 
 
 And v/ell develops intellectual thought, 
 
 V/liile with each and every move, 
 
92 
 
 Some proper object points to 
 
 God. 
 
 Again, it nerves the mind to proper 
 
 Zeal, directing eflbrts to adorn 
 
 Not only some, but all, who form the 
 
 Compound of our race. 
 
 Knowledge too, spreads out that scene. 
 
 By which all nature shows herself 
 
 Sublime. 
 
 And sure while thoughts accrue 
 
 1 hus pleasing to the mind, 
 
 Much higher joys seem kept in.store 
 
 Than those indulged by ignorant 
 
 Stubborn minds. 
 
 Correct ideas must spring from 
 
 Thou2;hts arranged in re^-ular 
 
 o o o 
 
 Train. 
 
 No discordant notes seen crushing onward, march ; 
 
 But all is ranged to speed 
 
 The car, which bears a message 
 
 Fit for morals, pure and 
 
 Vivid. 
 
 He who seeks to know the truth, 
 
 And learns its outline marks. 
 
 Makes very soon its application to 
 
 His works. 
 
 We scarce can find a failure of 
 
 The rule, else we mistake, and 
 
93 
 
 Count what's fiction, real. 
 
 He who errs, in conscious knowledge of 
 
 The same, outrages nature such as 
 
 He assumes ; and wars with 
 
 Feehngs far advanced, while 
 
 Anguish reels, and twists his conscious 
 
 Fault in double force, with that 
 
 Applied to minds now revelling • 
 
 In the halls of ignorant 
 
 Glee. 
 
 All virtue dates its source to knowledge 
 
 Well refined. 
 
 Could we deduce from other sources 
 
 That which seems sublime, 
 
 No other cause could be assigned 
 
 But such as have their base in 
 
 Habit or the like. 
 
 Hence no fears need be assumed 
 
 That virtue will decrease, if 
 
 Knowledge rule supreme. 
 
 He who loves the race mankind, 
 
 Cannot a belter effort bring, than that 
 
 Which tends to rear and spread 
 
 The truth that wisdom would 
 
 Bestow. 
 
 How true the fact, that ignorance 
 
 Moves the demon ihat destroys ; 
 
 It prompts the barbarous warrior 
 
94 
 
 To revenge, and makes malignance 
 Virtue, to adore. 
 
 It drags the widowed mother to the pile ; 
 And slaughters new-born infants to 
 Appease. 
 
 The captive from the battle-field is 
 Made the sporting mark of venom 
 Unrestrained. 
 
 Can horrors thus detested be the truth P 
 Methinks there's none who 
 Can deny, and none but who agree, 
 That ignorance prompts the whole. 
 Indeed we see most reckless folly- 
 Spread around, disgusting even each 
 The better feelings of ourselves. 
 The extortioner seems a stranger to 
 Remorse, while he crushes honest labor in 
 The dust. 
 
 Forsooth he seizes on the chattels 
 Of the poor to gratify his lust ; 
 And makes the tears of orphans 
 Swell extorted gain. 
 
 He stands, indeed, by some called great 
 And shrewd, but we affirm 
 That this is all but true, 
 Aye indeed, he's ignorant of himself; 
 And what is more, and worse than 
 All the rest, hp has no thought of 
 
95 
 
 Moral worth ; but lives a brute detested 
 
 By the world. 
 
 Mark the midnight revel, and the 
 
 Boisterous throng ; 
 
 Smell the curst perfumes exciting riot 
 
 And dismay ; 
 
 See the rabble thus engaged, destroying 
 
 Every object in die way, and hurling 
 
 Brickbats here and there, as if 
 
 To prove, that all the knowledge they 
 
 Possess is rent in wild confusion through 
 
 The air, to bid defiance to the 
 
 Law. 
 
 Such men as these possess untutored 
 
 Minds, wild and nigh disordered ; 
 
 It would seem parental efibrt 
 
 Never deigned to give reproof, or 
 
 Point out paths which wisdom doth 
 
 Adorn. 
 
 'Tis true that crime and vicious deeds 
 
 Draw strength from ignorant minds ; 
 
 And hence, if knowledge were 
 
 Insthuted, crime must be decreased, 
 
 And virtue supercede in proportion 
 
 To effect deduced from every cause. 
 
 Moral worth cannot be known 
 
 Unless the facts deduced are drawn 
 
 From logic true, and based on 
 
96 
 
 Knowledge firm and plain ; 
 
 Knowledge true, with thinking habits 
 
 Firmly based, imparts to each a knowledge 
 
 Of himself. 
 
 It leads the mind to sit in judgment 
 
 O'er each deed, and hence 
 
 Instructs us in a knowledge of 
 
 Ourselves. 
 
 He who would correct his failings or 
 
 Defects, must sure possess that gem, 
 
 The brightest star which lights the 
 
 Path adorned with virtue's golden 
 
 Crown. 
 
 Man designed for higher spheres 
 
 May well examine every step, ^ 
 
 And mark his conduct as he dwells. 
 
 If brutish lusts alone controlled 
 
 His life how great the void would 
 
 Seem. 
 
 No ties would bind or cheer him 
 
 In declining life, or from his 
 
 Childhood up. 
 
 He ne'er would think that vice 
 
 And folly would destroy ; 
 
 No voice would bid him turn away, 
 
 But on he'd rush, and rush with 
 
 Headlong folly to indulge ; 
 
 The secret spring of every act by 
 
97 
 
 Him performed, would be of 
 Sensual kind. 
 
 The prospects fair of those who 
 Might surround, would be to 
 Him a grudge, while desperate 
 Efforts would ensue to spread 
 Destruction and affront ; 
 But thanks to science, such 
 Disorder can't prevail. 
 Some indeed may be entwined, 
 But others more advanced 
 Examine well, to know if moral 
 Worth is based on factious 
 Schemes, or reared from vice 
 The mother of reven2;e. 
 Let each bestow a glance on self, 
 And soon he'll understand, 
 That pride is not the gem 
 Which braces up, or makes the worth of 
 Man. 
 
 He looks abroad, and well exclaims 
 That putrefaction breeds in 
 Filthy flesh ; and still that each is 
 Small, when brought to vie 
 With vast creation's nunnerous 
 Train. 
 
 Mental thoughts will soon convince 
 That self possession must control ; 
 5 
 
98 
 
 No disorder or affront will be of use 
 
 To brutalize the man ; 
 
 But standing up the prince of every act, 
 
 He knows that he controls, and 
 
 Hence his passions bear a check. 
 
 Unclothed with selfish glee, 
 
 He makes allowance for the wrongs of 
 
 Such who chance to err; 
 
 The ignorant mind cannot examine self; 
 
 No train of rational thought seems 
 
 Ever to arouse, but settling back he 
 
 Seems a tainted mass confirmed in 
 
 Haggard thought, and drowned in 
 
 Brutish lusts. 
 
 If ignorance be the spring of folly 
 
 And of vice, let us sweep it from the 
 
 World, and substitute a knowledge 
 
 Counteracting its effects. 
 
 All, 'tis not supposed, can accomphsh 
 
 What we'd wish, but a proper train 
 
 Of thinking for self-examination can 
 
 Allotted be to all. 
 
 So sure as man possesses an immortal 
 
 Seed within, this truth will prove 
 
 A burning light, and renovate the 
 
 World. 
 
 Clear and comprehensive views 
 
 Would ferret nature out. 
 
99 
 
 And trace each moral action 
 
 To its source. 
 
 A man possessing knowledge that's 
 
 Refined, is a jewel that outshines ; 
 
 And candor makes him fitted to 
 
 Elect. 
 
 He views each action that's remote 
 
 As well as those that's near, 
 
 And makes the choice which wisdom 
 
 Would suggest. 
 
 He knows the world looks on, 
 
 While deeds by some committed 
 
 E'en make captive millions, 
 
 Forming ages yet to come. 
 
 Some indeed seem trifling in themselves, 
 
 But when they're traced remote 
 
 And near, they're found destructive 
 
 And corrupt. 
 
 The man who's versed in knowledge, 
 
 Though it's not profound, if he possess 
 
 A moral foresight based on proper 
 
 Grounds, may trace each action 
 
 And each object to its 
 
 Source. 
 
 How well can he apply and trace 
 
 Those general laws on which are 
 
 Based all moral deeds ; 
 
 Each circumstance, or act, he clearly 
 
100 
 
 Understands. 
 
 He views the past and present 
 
 With an eagle eye, and hence 
 
 Predicts the future from the nature of 
 
 The case. 
 
 Let principle control if moral in its 
 
 Self, and strife will be expelled* as 
 
 Contention is subdued. 
 
 Kindness and affection will unite 
 
 And make the brotherhood as one, 
 
 Peace will be the daughter giving 
 
 Nourishment to ?ife ; 
 
 While wars would be suspended 
 
 And harmony prevail ; 
 
 Could moral worth be thus instilled, 
 
 What vast advantage would accrue. 
 
 To art and science and each thing 
 
 That man could wish to make 
 
 Improvement in his mind, 
 
 In promoting morals thus refined 
 
 How great the strife ; a strife 
 
 Indeed that seems as great with 
 
 Moral as with intellectual mind ; 
 
 That selfish pride, ambition, envy. 
 
 And the like, rears a breast-work 
 
 More complete to check the growth of 
 
 Scientific truth, aye, even more than that 
 
 Which springs from force, or any other 
 
101 
 
 Source. 
 
 But were such ruthless traits destroyed, 
 
 And those of gentle worth confirmed, 
 
 How smooth and graceful each 
 
 Would seem ; while, on the world 
 
 Would move, with union, smoothness, 
 
 And delight, surpassing all that 
 
 Man has realized as yet. 
 
 It may in truth be said that 
 
 Men of knowledge, genius, and the 
 
 Like, indulge with much more 
 
 Freedom, and success, in reckless follies 
 
 Which disgrace. 
 
 But hold, will truth affirm that 
 
 Men like these possess a knowledge proper ? 
 
 Not so, the most essential part 
 
 Seems left a void ; 
 
 They read with ease the Latin, and 
 
 The Greek, but yet no fruits of 
 
 Moral worth spring up, for want of 
 
 Lessons from the proper source ; 
 
 The moral law is but a stench to 
 
 Them, while violation seems no 
 
 Crime. 
 
 The guilt though, but a pleasure 
 
 Far more deathly than the plague. 
 
 Is 'kin to all that spreads destruction 
 
 Through the world. 
 
102 
 
 It comprehends all meanness we could 
 
 Name, and settles down, the climax of 
 
 Blasphemous pride. 
 
 Degradation flows from reckless wrongs 
 
 Like these, and works ingratitude 
 
 The worst ; while he who made 
 
 x\nd formed, is treated like the 
 
 Brute. 
 
 What emotions it excites to see mankind 
 
 So base. 
 
 Bowed down a slave to cursed wrongs. 
 
 He worships all, but that, which tends to 
 
 Make him noble. 
 
 Stocks and blocks with pictures 
 
 Made in image for Divine, 
 
 Call forth his praise, and chant 
 
 Deliverance from his wrongs. 
 
 No thought of Him whose depth of 
 
 Wisdom man cannot expound ; or 
 
 Him, who spake that worlds might 
 
 Spring from out the voids of space, 
 
 And wheel with rapid speed in each 
 
 Appointed sphere. 
 
 Let folly thus presumptuous rule the 
 
 World, and deeds of every hue 
 
 Would mark the face of open 
 
 Day. 
 
 Forsooth if moral law had 
 
103 
 
 Been a blank, what cruel misery 
 
 Would prevail. 
 
 Contention, strife, and pagan rites, 
 
 Would seek the sacrifice of sons. 
 
 While marble blocks, the gods of 
 
 Each, might stand erect and court 
 
 Each evil deed. 
 
 Why should man mistake the 
 
 God of heaven and of earth ? 
 
 His mind 'tis true was shocked by 
 
 Adam's fall, but we can scarce 
 
 Conceive why brutes, and stumps of 
 
 Trees, should be the God which moves 
 
 The world, or Him who's worthy of 
 
 Each praise. 
 
 We see both kings and princes, 
 
 Heroes, poets, men and women, young 
 
 And old, the slaves of Idols 
 
 Made of wood and stone ; 
 
 Which makes us blush to think, 
 
 That we are part and parcel of 
 
 The same. 
 
 Let man return to paths from 
 
 Which he's strayed, and learn 
 
 The songs which science fain doth praise, 
 
 And soon the ponderous bolt, 
 
 And hugely creaking iron door. 
 
 With clanking chains, and hand-cuffs strong, 
 
104 
 
 Will cease their galling work, and 
 
 Peace will smooth each heaving 
 
 Breast, and make the world ii 
 
 World of joys. 
 
 Those haunts of riot and dismay 
 
 Would lose the captives of their 
 
 Choice, and victims of seduction 
 
 Would reform, and ahate that 
 
 Wretched storm. 
 
 No slanderous tongue, or secret 
 
 Envy, would destroy with lying 
 
 Falsehood, now so keen in spreading 
 
 Huin 'moDgst mankind. 
 
 Indulge this truth for once, and 
 
 He who travels day or night. 
 
 Is well secured from prowling 
 
 Thieves, or midnight robbers, now so 
 
 Numerous and so bold. 
 
 Each one would seem a friend 
 
 Though midnight darkened every step ; 
 
 No heartless plund'rer would insult ; 
 
 While revenge would cease to be so 
 
 Rife. 
 
 That stately pride, and lofty sneer 
 
 Which hurls contemptuous pomp around, 
 
 Would vanish like the dew : 
 
 Ambitious conquering chiefs would 
 
 Stop their carnage for a throne, and 
 
105 
 
 Rights of men would be secure. 
 
 The warrior's notes would be a blank ; 
 
 While swords constructed to destroy, in 
 
 Ploughshares would be wrought : 
 
 That scourge that's drenched the 
 
 Earth in blood, and heaved each 
 
 Nation from its base, would seem a 
 
 Deprecated thing. 
 
 The trump that sounds alarming war 
 
 Would fail to send its piercing blast, 
 
 As telegraphic lighting would stop invading 
 
 Foes. 
 
 Those wolves in human form who drink 
 
 The blood of nations and of men, 
 
 Would cease to suck the pap ; 
 
 And live a blessing to their race ; 
 
 No instruments of torture would be . 
 
 Reared. 
 
 The stake, the rack, the knout, and 
 
 Lash, no more would cut the 
 
 Culprit's back, or make his sinews 
 
 Bare. 
 
 Cannons, guns, and swords, would cease 
 
 To give employment to the mind ; 
 
 That system too, which blights the 
 
 Hope of Afric's sons, and curses this 
 
 Our boasted freedom's land, would go 
 
 From whence it came. 
 
106 
 
 Witli emetics thus complete what havoc 
 
 Hell would make, no effort would 
 
 Be spared to cleanse its demon 
 
 Cells. 
 
 E'en the christian church, devoted as 
 
 She is to vileness thus corrupt. 
 
 Makes merry of her rule ; 
 
 No seeming difference is remarked, 
 
 But hand in hand she moves, 
 
 And counts the statute, lord of 
 
 All. 
 
 Each legislative act, seems made 
 
 To strike the fettered bondman 
 
 Down. 
 
 He cries and weeps for that 
 
 Which most have gained ; but 
 
 Freedom no-where gives him rest, 
 
 Unless, some drift perchance might 
 
 Leave him on Victoria's soil. 
 
 No kindly office seems performed, 
 
 Like that ascribed to one 
 
 Who moved but to excel. 
 
 From realm to realm with cross on crescent 
 
 Crown'd. 
 
 Where'er mankind and misery are found, 
 
 O'er burning sands, deep waves, or wilds of snow, 
 
 Mild Howard, journeying, seeks the house of woe ; 
 
 Down many a winding step, to dungeons dark 
 
107 
 
 Where anguish wails aloud and fetters clank, 
 
 To caves bestrewed with many a mouldering bone, 
 
 And cells whose echoes only learn to groan ; 
 
 Where no kind bars a whispering friend disclose, 
 
 No sun beam enters, and no zephyr blows, 
 
 He ^treads un-emulous of fame or wealth, 
 
 Profuse of toil, and prodigal of health. 
 
 Leads stern eyo'd justice to the dark domains. 
 
 If not to sever, to relax the chains ; 
 
 Gives to her babes, the self-devoted wife ; 
 
 To her fond husband liberty and life. 
 
 Onward he moves, disease and death retire, 
 
 And murmuring demons hate him, but admire. 
 
 Here a sample we have brought. 
 
 Which moral science well may claim, 
 
 And true it is, when worth like 
 
 This abounds, the world may boast 
 
 Of safety and of light. 
 
108 
 
 PART 11. 
 
 SCIENCE APPLIED. 
 
 Strange that minds on this dim spot, 
 
 Where toil and perspiration seem the 
 
 Mortal lot, can trace from motion's simple 
 
 Laws, the secret hand of providential care ; 
 
 Scarce a vestige of the universal frame seems hid, 
 
 But stretched with brilliant lustre out, 
 
 She greets each scientific step, and bids 
 
 Her spread perfected knowledge of her 
 
 Ways. 
 
 Gradual, though with sure success 
 
 She found the powers of gravitation 
 
 And projection first, in moving round 
 
 Stupendous globe. 
 
 Then bursting still more brilliant forth. 
 
 She takes her flight on silken 
 
 Pinions far, and grasps each star 
 
 That studs the blue arched vault. 
 
 Mind seems anxious to progress ; 
 
 Impelled by vigor natural, keen and sharp, 
 
 Improvement follows every step : 
 
109 
 
 It seems created to enjoy, as well as to engage 
 
 Hence, the search for kindred ties. 
 
 Which cheer the human race. 
 
 Active in its youthful state. 
 
 It ofttimes bursts parental ties 
 
 And roves through foreign climes ; 
 
 Each scene increases new delight, 
 
 While naught can satiate thirst 
 
 That longs to drink, to drink the 
 
 Wine content. 
 
 Heedless of each danger which awaits. 
 
 The Alpine scenes of nature draw away, 
 
 And smooths the boisterous sea, 
 
 While opening wide the cavern's mouth. 
 
 It smooths the path, which leads to each 
 
 Volcano's flaming fount. 
 
 Fatigue and peril no more daunt the search ; 
 
 Forsooth the sovereign science hastes to 
 
 Make a firm digest, and hastes as soon 
 
 To furnish new, indeed, some wholesome food 
 
 Which gives a lasting vigor to pursuit. 
 
 Numerous are its objects and its ways ; 
 
 Vast globe shuns not pursuit, but 
 
 Scanned with eager eyes, and fast 
 
 Increasing lust, it bows and bends 
 
 With oceans, islands, land and sea. 
 
 Before her fast propelling schemes. 
 
 Each bulk, or weight, with shape, and speed, 
 
no 
 
 With equal ease is made the captive 
 
 Of pursuit. 
 
 In truth, earth's bowels, as witli 
 
 Ocean's most extremest depth, 
 
 Lie not without the pale or reach of 
 
 Scientific thirst. 
 
 Atmosphere with ease surrenders each 
 
 Component part, while howling thunders. 
 
 With lightnings fiercer flash, make haste 
 
 To hurl the fatal stroke within the 
 
 Reach of scientific grasp. 
 
 The laws by which each planet moves. 
 
 As too with weight, and bulk of distant worlds, 
 
 Make haste to render up, and quick 
 
 Attribute that, that's proper to 
 
 Confer. 
 
 These fine constructed hairs, in which, suspended. 
 
 Hangs creation's scroll, seem classed with ease. 
 
 When science skillful, to the natural eye brings aid; 
 
 Such aid indeed, that flickering stars 
 
 Seem globes, or worlds of vast extent. 
 
 Celestial motions, are but sporting toys 
 
 With which she plays with ease. 
 
 Revolving periods, with eclipses, 
 
 Distance, and extent, seembut on furlough 
 
 Pledged, and pledged to render up 
 
 Each secret they entail. 
 
 It seems, that naught can be exhumed 
 
Ill 
 
 Except the sovereign science claims the sire ; 
 
 From mites the smallest that 
 
 Imagination can suggest, 
 
 To ponderous masses, burdening ocean's 
 
 Waves. 
 
 Those up and wide spread wings 
 
 Seem spirits from some other world ; 
 
 Undaunted by the hideous storm, 
 
 They ride triumphant on, while 
 
 Well each step, or place is known, 
 
 Though thunders roll, and vivid 
 
 Lightnings spread their flaming 
 
 Sheets around. 
 
 Time, forsooth, seems overcome ; 
 
 The fast propelling car puffs forth 
 
 Her smoke, and moves with active force, 
 
 While science rich, with wings as 
 
 Swift as thought, completes the compass of the 
 
 Globe. 
 
 Each hemisphere may speak, and speak 
 
 With magic thought, the tongue of 
 
 Other climes. 
 
 A moment scarcely intervenes while 
 
 Lightning hurls each message on, and 
 
 Renders up the charge. 
 
 Well then may we exclaim, that 
 
 Science quick lays hold on uniyersal 
 
 Worlds. 
 
112 
 
 She dives to depths beneath, and 
 
 Climbs the utmost summit of the sky ; 
 
 .Those regions lying in yon distant space 
 
 Are drawn with ease to hold communion 
 
 With mankind. 
 
 Each hill, each rock, or plain, which 
 
 Fill surrounding worlds, speak forth design. 
 
 A proof indeed, that science, strengthens 
 
 Still more firmly plans and causes strongly 
 
 Based, and based by Him the first 
 
 Great cause of all. 
 
 No secret binds her zeal, but laying seize 
 
 To every complicated thing, she buftets 
 
 Storm, and triumphs with a skillful hand. 
 
 Vast cities smile with recent joy. 
 
 While lightning like illumination cheers 
 
 Their every street. 
 
 Indeed she sports with air, and draws 
 
 Therefrom essential warmth. 
 
 The hardest stones, with metals massive 
 
 And compact, give way, and run like 
 
 Lava from volcanic gulfs. 
 
 The fearful lightning, from the dark and 
 
 Boisterous cloud, is held in subjugation to her will. 
 
 Her finger high, projecting from the ^ 
 
 Solid rock, stands up, a beacon 
 
 Beckoning on, the fearful stroke 
 
 That hurls in fragments each and 
 
113 
 
 Every thing- on which it lights. 
 
 Its penetration launches forth, and 
 
 Almost daily brings improvement on its wing. 
 
 Where once the putrid marsh, or 
 
 Desert vast, seemed hid, or stilled in 
 
 Deathly silence fast, we next see 
 
 Splendid, cities reared ; while lofty 
 
 Columns tower high, a grand memento of its 
 
 Bud, that blossoms like the rose : 
 
 Fleet as time she strips the past, 
 
 However recent or remote, and grasps 
 
 It as a gem. 
 
 With penetration far exceeding yet, 
 
 She moves beyond the curtained vault, 
 
 And ranges unknown worlds. 
 
 With ease she overleaps and leaves 
 
 Swift time behind, to feast on scenes in 
 
 Future yet. 
 
 It might to some seem strange, that mortal 
 
 Minds are thus endowed. 
 
 Enlarged conception, such, or near the 
 
 Like, mature from research, application. 
 
 And the like. 
 
 1 ake a mind the most profound, and 
 
 Still you find it unappeased ; 
 
 Its greedy longing knows no bounds ; 
 
 The more it drinks the more it craves ; 
 
 And sooner sees that time clips short 
 
114 
 
 The journey on, and proves the infant 
 
 State of mind. 
 
 As with craving mind, retains and 
 
 Holds with equal strength, the numerous 
 
 Topics which engage. 
 
 Constrained to onward march, perfection 
 
 Seems its aim ; while torch on torch 
 
 Reflects the light, which endless time must 
 
 Roll amidst. 
 
 Can reason once assume, that almost 
 
 Mighty mind, must be confined, or 
 
 Smothered deep by time, and crashing 
 
 Worlds ; the poet well exclaims, 
 
 *' Say, can a soul possessed 
 *' Of such extensive, deep, tremendous powers, 
 *' Enlarging still, be but a finer breath 
 " Of spirits dancing through their tubes awhile, 
 *' And then forever lost in vacant air ?" 
 Forsooth 'tis none but such as grasp at 
 Straws, and know no infinite wisdom that controls, 
 Who thus act short that brilliant star. 
 And compass round a midnight gloom. 
 While priceless gems seem glittering yet 
 To feed a longing thirst. 
 Why that vast acquiring mind, if 
 Man be formed for brutish 
 Ends ? 
 The great constructor saw, and knew his wants, 
 
115 
 
 And hence with wisdom each was formed, 
 
 Adapted each to each^ with partial 
 
 Care. 
 
 Man with ease and comfort moves, 
 
 And gains promotion in proportion as 
 
 He learns. 
 
 His nature physical, moral, or inert, 
 
 Improves with wondrous speed. 
 
 He who firmly thinks mankind like 
 
 Vapor lost in air, may think with 
 
 Less restraint, Jehovah wise beyond the whole, 
 
 Inferior to himself. 
 
 But he who fainly gives and grants 
 
 Control supreme, must feed on thought 
 
 Which clears the mind, and bids it rove. 
 
 For endless time shall greet its 
 
 Every nerve. 
 
 Such deductions seem of truth 
 
 When man's engagements are reviewed; 
 
 Confined on this dim spot 
 
 To toil, and hardship, each and every day 
 
 Such seems a barrier firm, 
 
 Preventing vigorous thought where 
 
 Thought should be bestowed : 
 
 The numerous mass of human kind 
 
 Are moved by double ties to brace against, 
 
 And counteract life's numerous evils, 
 
 Which abound. 
 
116 
 
 Their natures must with food and 
 
 Raiment be supplied, which all in all, 
 
 Makes double proof, that some 
 
 Must hunger still, and hunger on, 
 
 Till wafted through to other 
 
 Climes. 
 
 Man, though brilliant, gay and stern, 
 
 Possessing all that makes complete, 
 
 Seems here to propagate his race ; 
 
 In short his days seem fleeting and replete, 
 
 Yet still he passes off, to give, or 
 
 Make surrender to his heir 
 
 His place ; his sterling worth seems 
 
 Left for conquest, sure to follow 
 
 In his train. 
 
 Long before perfection nerves his 
 
 Nature up, he's stricken from 
 
 The stage. 
 
 Not indeed like brutes, for they, in every 
 
 Sense, leave marks of final rest. 
 
 No stern, expanding God-like mind 
 
 Implanted by a hand Divine, seems made ; 
 
 And made to answer such designs ; 
 
 The author e'en himself, could not 
 
 With pleasure recollect, or view, such 
 
 Useless short-lived things. 
 
 What use indeed, those brilliant thoughts, 
 
 If death must darken every hope ? 
 
117 
 
 Why that grasping, longing wish, if far 
 
 Beyond there seems no bahn to 
 
 Give relief ? 
 
 Forsooth, as sure as wisdom boundless 
 
 Lights terraqueous globe, so sure this 
 
 World is but a chart, directing on to 
 
 Distant and eternal day. 
 
 Those hosts which pass with rapid strides, 
 
 (Though increase fills a double space>) 
 
 Seem here to learn, and learn alone. 
 
 The first important strains which charm 
 
 Them on to realms of endless day. 
 
 Who that looks with candor on 
 
 Himself, but what's astounded and 
 
 Amazed ; 
 
 Each views with pleasing sense 
 
 Unbounded treasure couched within, 
 
 While virtue, knowledge, and perfection 
 
 Reign, and shine without, when 
 
 Passions base, unloose their strong 
 
 Control. 
 
 How can bounds be fixed to stop 
 
 Imagination as it roves? 
 
 That endless course which space has 
 
 Opened wide, attracts the mind 
 
 Elastic, grasping, and refined ; a proof 
 
 Indeed that man is destined to 
 
 Progress. 
 
118 
 
 Were this secluded speck, or globe, 
 
 With spaces which surround, naught 
 
 Else but immense voids, no lingering 
 
 Strangeness would surround, when 
 
 Man cut short his time, and made 
 
 The tomb his resting place. 
 
 Forsooth when years have rolled in 
 
 Scores away, and locks drenched white 
 
 With care-worn search, while search 
 
 For new and cheering scenes hath failed 
 
 In accents to bestow, mankind might 
 
 Well exclaim, life seems as yet, one tedious. 
 
 Dark, and dreary stream. 
 
 Compelled to look, and look to see the same, 
 
 While each attempt to traverse o'er unwonted 
 
 Scenes, would only be the same. 
 
 No grateful feelings would accrue 
 
 But sameness would destroy, and 
 
 Make each human mind a restless 
 
 Putrid wreck. 
 
 Indeed its sprightly flaming glow 
 
 Would languish into gloom ; 
 
 While progress up, and on, would 
 
 Sicken and decay. 
 
 The vast surrounding void would 
 
 Seem a worthless blank, and fail 
 
 To give impetus to his zeal. 
 
 How cheerful then, the thought 
 
119 
 
 So rational of itself, 
 
 That earth is but a grain ; 
 
 While myriads more exist, which run 
 
 With ardor on. 
 
 Vast planets traverse space, whilst science 
 
 Points them out. 
 
 Their magnitude and bulk exceeding even 
 
 Earth, which dwindles into naught. 
 
 Their difference seems adapted 
 
 To their place, while various are the aspects 
 
 They display. 
 
 Indeed there's none but what's replete, 
 
 Whilst others are encompassed, with 
 
 Beauties most sublime ; 
 
 Enticing to the mind, they quickly render up, 
 
 And grant with freedom's lease. 
 
 Possession of their stores. 
 
 Man's views scarce centre in this globe, 
 
 A globe that's sereless, and a seeming mite. 
 
 Those brilliant stars which light the 
 
 Realms of space. 
 
 Seem each a centre vast, around 
 
 Which worlds revolve. 
 
 In looking out when evening tide hath 
 
 Cast her shadows o'er, and 
 
 Flitting clouds seem all dispersed. 
 
 Those systems come in thousands, to adorn 
 
 And grace the voids of space ; 
 
120 ^ 
 
 Pursuing on, the brilliant glass 
 
 Increases far, and still unfolds 
 
 E'en millions more^ which seem with 
 
 Strangeness to exist. 
 
 No doubt can then be entertained. 
 
 That, scores on scores exist 
 
 Which human eye can never reach. 
 
 Bounds cannot be fixed ; 
 
 Or none can fathom w^isdom great. 
 
 Whose depth and length encompass 
 
 Space around. 
 
 Ages such as man can scarce compute. 
 
 May roll and roll away. 
 
 Yet still man's mortal mind may 
 
 Sport and sport with scenes 
 
 Anew. 
 
 Endowments vast replenish human minds 
 
 That God, who gave, and richly stored. 
 
 Fore-knew the value of the prize ; 
 
 Its searchings deep exhumed the magnet 
 
 Wheeling earth, while planets' bulk 
 
 And size, seem but to charge it to 
 
 Be wise. 
 
 Moved on, a genius from the first, 
 
 Inventions follow every step, while 
 
 Each renews and adds reward ; 
 
 Concealed in space remote, 
 
 Divine design seems firmly thus 
 
121 
 
 A foretaste to confer. 
 As such to man seems double strength, 
 E'en though it be in wandering o'er 
 The fields of space. 
 One glimpse of wide creation's traia 
 Enkindles fresh delight; 
 As effort triumphs by degrees, 
 It moves to seize, and seize the scroll 
 That darkens worlds whose suns seem 
 Twinkling from afar. 
 
 What numerous thoughts expand the mind. 
 When worlds and systems pass before, 
 High suspended, seeming on a hair; 
 Yet still, they call around reflections deep^ 
 As each may think, that people 
 There exist. 
 
 The query may go round, (exciting though it be,) 
 If rank and grade amongst them 
 Have a place f 
 
 Indeed, their laws, their habits, 
 May be sought, with moral, social and 
 Religious caste. 
 Duration saw, and marked this 
 Fabric huge, which counts existence not alone, 
 Complete, but from arising growth, 
 To its perfected state. 
 It spoke forsooth, will this expanse 
 Forever roll, or will it roll with 
 6 
 
122 
 
 New accessions to its train ? 
 
 Let reason give its firm response 
 
 When queries thus important rise, 
 
 Each one a system may adopt, while 
 
 Worlds on worlds seem rolling on, 
 
 And mind with mind seems 
 
 Interspersed. 
 
 Farther still might queries be renewed, 
 
 Though queries they must be ; 
 
 Till vast arrangements are complete 
 
 How thick as yet the mist 
 
 Which penetration seeks to move : 
 
 O'er-burdened with its eares, 
 
 Each new accession overwhelms. 
 
 And breeds astonished doubt. 
 
 A scene so vast that none can comprehend, 
 
 Awakes each sleeping mode, 
 
 And tells mankind, that ages. 
 
 Such as he with numbers can't compute, 
 
 Must roll, and roll away, yet still. 
 
 The height and depth, the length 
 
 And breadth of yonder realms. 
 
 Must lie a secret to be learned. 
 
 How certain then, if man be destined 
 
 To eternal sleep, that saddening thoughts 
 
 Must flow. 
 
 His expectation to improve, and learn 
 
 Still more of nature, and of nature's God, 
 
123 
 
 Must die and end, a vast mysterious 
 
 And eternal blight. 
 
 Mind seems more endowed, than 
 
 By a single longing wish ; 
 
 It grasps with fondness each retreat, 
 
 And holds in view indefinite scenes. 
 
 In truth vast space is but its proof, 
 
 That sure perfection is its God. 
 
 He who seems with double knowledge 
 
 To be graced, full well believes, 
 
 And knows as well, 
 
 That portions, far exceeding yet. 
 
 Might be by him attained. 
 
 Transport the mind to Saturn's belted ball, 
 
 Conceive the splendor of its rings, 
 
 While moons augment each wonder 
 
 That's displayed ; 
 
 Instill the laws by which its people may 
 
 Be ruled, and measure each pursuit 
 
 Though far beyond what custom might 
 
 Establish as its own : 
 
 With ease, in proportion as he treasures 
 
 Each event, though common to us all, 
 
 Would each peculiar thing be noted 
 
 And retained. 
 
 Transport angelic hosts from worlds 
 
 Ten thousand that abound, 
 
 With charts, and znaps, 
 
124 
 
 Describing customs, laws, and dispensations that 
 
 control ; 
 And exists an ample scope 
 For each remaining message to be 
 Told. 
 
 No sane or stable mind 
 That dwells for once intent-, 
 That thinks, bright knowledge now possessed, 
 Would be displaced, though worlds on 
 Worlds should fast bestow 
 E'en wealth, which each contains, 
 Elastic and complete, no task 
 That seems too hard. 
 Why set bounds to intellectual thirst, 
 If mind be destined to survive. 
 And leave this mortal frame 
 Behind! 
 
 Reason speaks for all, that knowledge 
 Such as here's attained, is trifling 
 And minute, when contrasted 
 With the future and sublime ; 
 Haste then to banish fancy sketches 
 From the mind, and forfeit each 
 Assumption that science is a theme 
 For present speculation, and destitute of 
 Future application. 
 
 Why this structure with its train of worlds 
 Alone f what vast displays seem gushing through, 
 
125 
 
 And stirring quick the finite mind ; 
 Joy and comfort compass round ; 
 A proof indeed, that nature feeds with 
 Cautious care all human wants ; 
 Jehovah needs no train of worlds on 
 Escort of inferior minds ; 
 Infinite, and still the God of all 
 From first to last, 
 He stands exalted far above, 
 While naught can e'er approach, 
 Except what seems, and is, of perfect 
 Bliss. 
 
 How firm then is the fact. 
 That immense worlds, which pass with ease 
 And swiftness through yon space, 
 Are just but grand displays of 
 Nature infinite, and disposed 
 To pour indulgence on each offspring's 
 Head. 
 
 Think, if millions of those hosts. 
 Which sail, to us, an unknown sea, 
 Can entertain a mind eternal from the 
 First. 
 
 The same from first to last, 
 Though countless ages wheel anew with 
 .Changing signals at each point; 
 This globe seems reared a cabinet 
 For the mind, while reason fails to teach 
 
126 
 
 That this vast structure, so complete 
 
 Can stand or e'en exist, while minds 
 
 For whose indulgence it is reared, 
 
 Must sleep, the sleep, which some call 
 
 Sleep eternal. 
 
 Are rational minds imbued with thoughts 
 
 That disappointment is the mortal 
 
 Lot? 
 
 Think not, that. He who formed 
 
 And cherished rational hopes, 
 
 Would blight a budding longing 
 
 Wish. 
 
 Design is justly from his plans deduced, 
 
 While viewing close the splendor of 
 
 His works. 
 
 If not, those facts which are accessions 
 
 Almost daily to our good, 
 
 Might well have been withheld ; 
 
 Though each proclaim a foretaste of 
 
 Decree. 
 
 That brilHant light which science sheds 
 
 Abroad, could ne'er have roused those 
 
 Active springs which seem ir^planted 
 
 To arise, and rise aloft, to sport 
 
 With worlds around. 
 
 Indeed a power vast must lufF 
 
 The helm, or else the present stag^ 
 
 The tempest sure would hurl. 
 
127 
 
 And hurl the ship midst gloomy 
 
 Shoals. 
 
 Hence that grant which seems 
 
 Exciting new desires, 
 
 Augmenting still, contentment lies afar, 
 
 While naught can satiate thirst 
 
 Which longs for truths remote ; 
 
 Soaring still away, those trains of 
 
 Thought must wing their flight 
 
 Till every secret through the realm, 
 
 With each design, from one Divine, 
 
 Be made to light the 
 
 Mind. 
 
 Strange indeed, would be the God 
 
 Who spread in part, his works to view, 
 
 Sporting with the mortal mind ; 
 
 How quick, and justly too, 
 
 Might each accuse, and charge 
 
 Deception to his ways. 
 
 But naught hke this appears, 
 
 While justice is embodied in 
 
 His plans. 
 
 It seems his firm design, that mortals 
 
 Should refine. 
 
 Endowed with comprehensive minds, 
 
 'Tis proof that they excel. 
 
 And vastly over-climb the wandering 
 
 Brute's estate. 
 
128 
 
 For granted then the fact, 
 
 That such exalted cares would 
 
 Ne'er have been conferred, lest man 
 
 For splendid purposes was made; 
 
 And made exceeding to adore, 
 
 How vast the field o'er which grave 
 
 Science doUi preside. 
 
 Let him who would exhaust Its source, 
 
 Ileinember well, and count its sweep 
 
 As final and complete : 
 
 Scarce a space seems left where 
 
 E'en a critic keen could enter on a 
 
 Selge. 
 
 It brightens social life, and grants 
 
 A joyous welcome to J'epose ; 
 
 All sexual ties seem cheered anew 
 
 And haste vviih increase to supply ; 
 
 Exalted high affection flows with 
 
 Speed, while trade and commerce 
 
 Thrive afresh. 
 
 College schools with magic wonders 
 
 Which prevail, bear proof of progress 
 
 Fast emailed ; while village towns, 
 
 And cities vast, give good 
 
 Response. 
 
 The field, and vineyard, 3s with 
 
 Commerce far and near, betoken 
 
 Praisg, while welcome on, proud science 
 
129 
 
 1 brighl 
 Whole expanse. 
 Bright and cheerful all appears 
 Where'er her lens reflects its 
 Light. 
 
 Indeed there's genial spirit known, 
 And known to every clime, while 
 Such in truth breathes 
 Wholesome air, which gives to 
 Science proper care ; 
 Subvert this source of healing 
 Balm, and transformation would 
 Destroy. 
 
 Dissolved as every tie would be, 
 No cheerful accents would 
 Bestow, but gloom and darkness 
 Fast would flow. 
 
 Improvement melting quick away, must 
 Carry down, and in its course, 
 O'erwhelm the whole, and drive 
 Progression from the world ; 
 Each mind a fearful wreck would 
 Be, v;hile naught but spectres 
 Would pursue. 
 All confidential care would be 
 Annulled, as peace and friendship 
 Would decay. 
 
 No care to comfort in distress, or 
 6^ 
 
 / .1 
 
130 
 
 Hands to help when danger iwined 
 
 Around. 
 
 How fearful such effects if left 
 
 To sway the world. 
 
 Such scenes as yet seem partial 
 
 In the world, though inroads plainly 
 
 May be seen. 
 
 A plundering system seems in vogue, 
 
 That dares with fury to attack ; 
 
 While e'en at times, success 
 
 Attends, and robs mankind of sweet 
 
 Repose. 
 
 How slight our condemnation of 
 
 Such wrongs. 
 
 Based it seems on artificial views 
 
 A proper censure scarce 
 
 Condemns, at least when justice 
 
 Cries aloud. 
 
 Science smooths what thus 
 
 Imbrutes mankind, and smooths 
 
 With ready skill. 
 
 Tinged with sweetness and command, 
 
 What glorious rays diffuse ' 
 
 Throughout, and light the vast harmonious 
 
 System up. 
 
 The adder's poisonous fangs lie 
 
 Harmless in its lap, while thieves 
 
 And despots, quacks and swindlerSj 
 
131 
 
 Quick decay beneath its melting 
 
 Genial rays. 
 
 Truths which sceptics long have drowned 
 
 Spring freshly up, and quickly 
 
 Spread a cheerful lustre round 
 
 About. 
 
 Indeed like sunbeams at meridian 
 
 Day, it drives all mists away, and 
 
 Lights all darkness up. 
 
 The human breast seems rankling not, 
 
 As jealous feuds quick disappear and 
 
 Friendship joins mankind 
 
 As one. 
 
 What numerous cares and anxious 
 
 Games, lie fast reposing in 
 
 Her shades. 
 
 Indeed the legal bar, instead of that 
 
 Perjured decript, presents at once a place 
 
 Where justice, unencumbered by 
 
 Pernicious fraud, gives each to each, 
 
 And grants mankind his own and 
 
 All. 
 
 Her fabric firmly based, 
 
 When traced to its remotest source, 
 
 Consists of facts and justice 
 
 Undefiled. 
 
 And well where'er control submits 
 
 Her sway, proud science clears 
 
132 
 
 The way. 
 
 Where'er restraint seems burdening facts, 
 
 Destruction scarce but seen, 
 
 Distracts, and shakes, and iwists her round, 
 
 That right and justice may be 
 
 Drowned. 
 
 At times there's e'en countless evils which 
 
 Abound. 
 
 Families, nations, and the world, 
 
 Fail in turning back the tide ; 
 
 At times there seems a burning thirst 
 
 That works ambitious minds, 
 
 Restless and contending by degrees ; 
 
 Deceitful schemes and groveling 
 
 Lies cut short all proof of manly 
 
 Ties. 
 
 Unclean from first to last. 
 
 No family ties are sacred kept j 
 
 But each alike, are spurned by such, 
 
 And pierced with pangs of 
 
 Deadly vice. 
 
 Indeed the flame is offtlmes 
 
 Caught by youthful minds, and 
 
 Still conveyed, and lit afresh. 
 
 As strength and age grows 
 
 On. 
 
 Kindling still more briskly up, 
 
 The dreadful scourge contagious 
 
133 
 
 Seems, as ofttimes nations wield the 
 
 Rod. 
 
 Borne down by monstrous weight 
 
 Vast cities fall beneath, while 
 
 Empires have been sacked ; 
 
 Fields indeed where peace and 
 
 Plenty seemed to thrive, 
 
 Appear as fields of human 
 
 Gore. 
 
 Laud e'en high, if so it please, 
 
 The soldier's daring feat ; 
 
 He moves, 'lis true, with heedless 
 
 Brute hke fury on the foe ; 
 
 Sustained by legislative pomp, 
 
 No force seems equal to engage, 
 
 As freedom's message swells with 
 
 Rage. 
 
 Ambitious to secure, a pretext quick appears, 
 
 Though treaty would delay, 
 
 Remonstrance speaks in vain. 
 
 While condition can't avail ; 
 
 As the eagle seeks its prey, 
 
 No thought but of to-day, 
 
 While dreadful seems the legions 
 
 Which stand in bold array. 
 
 With speed as they pursue, 
 
 Destruction marks the country and 
 
 The state. 
 
134 
 
 The burnished steel, with rifles 
 
 Primed for six, demand a quick 
 
 Retreat. 
 
 '1 he chilling tales conveyed on autumn's 
 
 Fearful breeze, pronounce depart, 
 
 Lest sounds which each may hear. 
 
 Are sounds of hostile feet. 
 
 Betokening fearful deeds ; 
 
 Mothers shriek, and shriek In vain ; 
 
 While children weep to stop 
 
 The fell destroyer war : 
 
 Fathers raise a sterner voice, 
 
 But each in vain ; while sisters 
 
 Each, and sisters free, 
 
 The one athletic, the other weak, 
 
 Lie weltering in the blood of 
 
 War. 
 
 Dark indeed, are tales which 
 
 History must record. 
 
 In counting o'er America's wrongs, 
 
 She'll find them classed with 
 
 Barbarous hordes, e'en though 
 
 She claims, and holds high rank, for 
 
 Moral worth. 
 
 Who could ask but what might know? 
 
 That vengeance razed poor Mexico ; 
 
 Almost destroyed, and shorn 
 
 Of her domain, she stands a proof of 
 
135 
 
 Monstrous wrongs ; with widow's 
 
 Groans, and orphan's sighs, 
 
 Dark spots seem such 
 
 When floating high, displaying 
 
 Conquest as a gem. 
 
 Deeper yet, and still more damuhig 
 
 Is the wrong, that chains, • 
 
 Unclenched by savage hands. 
 
 Are sought by freemen to impose 
 
 And curse again the land 
 
 Which long since spued them 
 
 Out. 
 
 How far we might in justice thus proceed 
 
 Repeating wrongs, and foul disgrace, 
 
 Each one may judge from records 
 
 Ready typed. 
 
 Inherent, or contagious from the first 
 
 Our country freely diinks, and drinks of 
 
 Others wrongs. 
 
 She, with each and all, a grasping 
 
 Arm doth wield. 
 
 Though wisdom bids her cease, and 
 
 Seek for virtuous peace. 
 
 Reverse such brutish freaks, 
 
 And scarce but peace prevails ; 
 
 Give science her command, and 
 
 Smoothly rides the bark ; 
 
 Ambition spued without. 
 
136 
 
 Leaves restless care behind, and 
 
 Sinks malignance down ; 
 
 Study deep the truth, and 
 
 Wonder at the prize. 
 
 Stately and sublime it's reached 
 
 But to be wise. 
 
 Who is he that says mankind is unprepared 
 
 To cultivate and keep his 
 
 Morals clean ? 
 
 Restrain with proper care 
 
 Each passion, with desire ; and 
 
 Cultivate contentment, the 
 
 Precious gem of all; 
 
 It renovates the mind, and 
 
 Dries the deluge up ; while its 
 
 Properties to charge, are purely 
 
 Heaven's joys. 
 
 Born, not creatures of a day, each 
 
 Thought, each act should leave, 
 
 Unblemished moral worth. 
 
 Seeking every clime, virtue should be 
 
 Taught, and darkness made a 
 
 Stranger to the world. 
 
 Thus resounds the chanting song. 
 
 The song indeed which science 
 
 Sings. 
 
 From thence, her mission still proceeds, 
 
 Though vastly higher in its sphere, 
 
137 
 
 It moves, an escort and a guide ; 
 
 E'en, though it's destined far beyond 
 
 This mortal stage to ride. 
 
 Unfolding earth's enormous bulk 
 
 She takes eaeh object and each thing, 
 
 With oceans, islands, lakes, and 
 
 Seas, with caverns deep, and mountains 
 
 Burning, indeed to force, and force 
 
 She does, a truth concerning all ; 
 
 Tremendous is the arm which brought 
 
 Existence forth. 
 
 It wields not only earth, but space 
 
 Leans firmly on. 
 
 All, and siill far more than man can see, 
 
 Seems sporting like the eagle's flight; 
 
 High })erched, no eye can reach its source ; 
 
 But firmly fixed, Jehovah's comprehensive 
 
 Grasp encircles every mite ; 
 
 Astounded with pursuit, science still 
 
 Draws us en. 
 
 Each measurement renewed, betokens 
 
 Special praise. 
 
 While globes which float around 
 
 Diminish eaith's renown. 
 
 Surpassing earth's enormous bulk, the 
 
 Sun excels, and far outweighs the 
 
 Host combined. 
 
 His genial rays, impress the splendor 
 
138 
 
 Of his ways. 
 
 They reach forsooth to planets far, 
 
 While Herschell's moons each clay partake, 
 
 And as with earth, each day 
 
 Rejoice. 
 
 Here the mist seems gathering deep ; 
 
 Just entering on to traverse space, 
 
 We scarcely know, or comprehend 
 
 The field, o'er which we've roamed. 
 
 But science bids 
 
 And we proceed. 
 
 In journeying on, we leave behind the 
 
 Solar system vast, and pass to 
 
 Scenes midst heaven's arch : 
 
 Hio-h w^'oudit imagination reels, while 
 
 speeding through these distant fields, 
 
 Far, far away, a message hurled on 
 
 Lightning's train, would fail in years. 
 
 Though scores on scores renew. 
 
 To reach her distant realms. 
 
 Apparrelled rich resplendent globes 
 
 Enhance surprise, while worlds 
 
 Accompanying each, instruct us to 
 
 Be wise. 
 
 Deep planted in the strange abyss 
 
 Huge bodies roll, known e'en prodigious 
 
 As to size. 
 
 Compaeting as to bulk, with earth, 
 
139 
 
 The nearest star refulgent shines, 
 Though by its native light. 
 Who then from reason seeks to 
 Doubt, that such are scenes as 
 Spacious as our own ? 
 A centre each there's not a doubt, 
 While heat and light dispense 
 Therefrom, which cheers and lights 
 Revolvino- worlds. 
 
 o 
 
 When storm and cloud leave clear 
 
 The evening sky, what hosts 
 
 Amaze the naked eye. 
 
 E'en millions can't compute 
 
 The far exceeding matter they contain ; 
 
 The solar system dwindles to a speck, 
 
 While human fancy shrinks 
 
 And curdles at the thought. 
 
 But such, howe'er so great the 
 
 Numbers be, form not a thousandth 
 
 Part. 
 
 Science still accompanying in pursuit, 
 
 Progresses onward yet : 
 
 She takes the spacious glass and 
 
 Brings in numbers vast, surpassing 
 
 All the past. 
 
 Thousands now o'erwhelm the sight, 
 
 Where scarce before there seemed 
 
 A light. 
 
140 
 
 Indeed one hundred millions seem arrayed 
 
 While each in order is conveyed ; 
 
 Yet still, this host of suns and 
 
 Worlds, extinguished seems, 
 
 If reason still prevail, 
 
 When wheeled in contact with 
 
 More distant climes. 
 
 Deep spread, as far outstretched, 
 
 Who can fathom space ? 
 
 How dwells imagination in the deep abyss ? 
 
 It's secret wanderings knows 
 
 No bounds. 
 
 Hurried on, no check retards, till 
 
 Rays of light o'erwhelm as ushered 
 
 From Jehovah's throne. 
 
 Dwell deeply and intent, when roving 
 
 Thus through spacious throngs ; 
 
 Mark well each step, as step 
 
 By step augments alone ; 
 
 For short in numbers must we 
 
 Fall, when we express the wonders of 
 
 Each ball. 
 
 A longing look, with steady gaze, 
 
 Alone bursts through the maze. 
 
 Scene with scene should be arrayed 
 
 While objects great, with objects small, 
 
 Should not unheeded fall. 
 
 Check not the mental process here, however 
 
141 
 
 Active, or however clear. 
 
 Enhance its speed, and JDrace its nerve, 
 
 Lest from it truths may swerve ; 
 
 Digest each object s6 Light, with prospects 
 
 Which abound, that truths may 
 
 Quick be found. 
 
 Bestow no flitting glance, but dwell 
 
 Intent on nature proud. 
 
 Arrest each landscape far and 
 
 Near, while quick to lakes, to plains, 
 
 And hills, give each its proper 
 
 Sphere. 
 
 Plunge deep to caverns far below, and 
 
 AVing midst cloud and tempest 
 
 As they flow. 
 
 Progressing yet, imagine flight through 
 
 Realms of fresh delight ; 
 
 Inhale what seems in solar system 
 
 To prevail. 
 
 Digressing thence, proceed anew, to 
 
 Roam through realms where time 
 
 And space o'erwhelm ; 
 
 From thence indeed, when sun and 
 
 Moon display but specks, 
 
 Pursue still on, and waft in thought 
 
 From world to world, till 
 
 Boundaries swallow genius up. 
 
 Suspended then amidst expanse, 
 
142 
 
 Where none can fathom, and no doubt 
 
 Where worlds on worlds continue yet, 
 
 Pause still, and ask who thus 
 
 Presides ! 
 
 High seated on his throne 
 
 Jehovah sits, o'er hosts yea wondrous liosts, 
 
 His mighty arm presides. 
 
 His wisdom, self-existent and supreme, 
 
 Directs without extreme. 
 
 Forsooth, He spake, and all emerged; 
 
 Deep from nothing sprang huge 
 
 Worlds, though some pronounce them 
 
 Quirls. 
 
 Astounding are such truths abounding ; 
 
 Unfetched by finite comprehension. 
 
 They're moved by mighty condescension ; 
 
 How vast the power that is controlling. 
 
 As those worlds keep pace in rolling ; 
 
 'Tis true we see attraction moving all, 
 
 But who gave motion to the ball ? 
 
 Queries thus important rise. 
 
 While man indeed, should 
 
 Solve them to be wise. 
 
 He who's senseless to such truths, 
 
 O'erwhelming and majestic, 
 
 Surpassing e'en excess, (could Hature 
 
 Thus be dressed,) 
 
 Surely seems unconscious, and scarce 
 
143 
 
 Can comprehend, what seem both law 
 
 And end. 
 
 He who thus presumptuous would appear, 
 
 And keep from view triumphant 
 
 Truths, strikes deep the blow 
 
 Which overwhelms, and drowns 
 
 Almighty rays. 
 
 Bright shining and complete, a 
 
 Proof emerges thence, that God 
 
 Eternal reigns. 
 
 Bestowing hosts not few, which are 
 
 As brilliant studs, fixed firm in yonder 
 
 Arch. 
 
 Far stretched, the concourse is 
 
 Designed to draw amazement forth ; 
 
 Not like such bestowed on laurels won, 
 
 But such as with immortal grandeur run ; 
 
 In vain God's name, as men exclaim, 
 
 Were science beat from off the 
 
 Main. 
 
 Those rays reflecting and augmenting praise, 
 
 Shine brilliant forth ; as each proclaim 
 
 And give bright lustre to command. 
 
 Strange, were such momentous grandeur 
 
 Smothered out, or banished from the 
 
 Pious pale. 
 
 Inroads deep would plainly mark 
 
 Each effort to confirm, as critics form 
 
144 
 
 And rear bold schemes, to blast 
 
 Religious themes. 
 
 How grand, indeed stupendous, are impressions 
 
 Wrought in contemplations of 
 
 Jehovah's works. 
 
 Commanded high, to lift the eye. 
 
 No savage stare should e'er direct 
 
 Towards the eye. 
 
 Indeed profound should be each thought. 
 
 While observation should be taught ; 
 
 No plea extracted from a proper source. 
 
 Can stagnate such a course. 
 
 That brilliant torch, by which grave 
 
 Science lights the concave arch, 
 
 Impels most speedy march and 
 
 Prompt attention to celestial orbs ; 
 
 He who overlooks, or casts midst 
 
 Dark and dreary shades, 
 
 Reflections thus sublime, 
 
 Would cancel fain 
 
 The brightness of Jehovah's throne, 
 
 That man should thus abridge ; 
 
 Or move to wrest stupendous rays j 
 
 Marks well, intent to lessen 
 
 Native rights. 
 
 In truth a fear seems lingering round, 
 
 Lest mightier far might be the God, 
 
 Or more, lest homage undeserved 
 
145 
 
 Should be on him conferred. 
 
 Mysterious as his grandeur is 
 
 It wakes throughout, indeed no doubt, 
 
 But firm convictions strongly based, 
 
 That power self, and self-existent, 
 
 From the first controls material 
 
 Space. 
 
 Celestial bodies hurled with speed 
 
 Through spaces undefined, and far 
 
 Exceeding e'en huge numbers to compute,, 
 
 Declares at once, that man, progressing oq» 
 
 And on, to shores immortal, 
 
 Should not with doubtful, or IndifiereHt 
 
 Eyes behold. 
 
 Doubtless, as creation sprang 
 
 With systems vast, and worlds immeni»« 
 
 Replenished too with human minds, 
 
 The great constructor saw, and knew, 
 
 Sublime impressions must imbue- 1 
 
 Indeed, where'er creation is 
 
 Displayed, there, planted deep, ideas 
 
 Expand, though partial, true of nature glorious, 
 
 Ay, infinite and complete. 
 
 Mortal effort, must but fail in grasping bright 
 
 Perfection, seated midst, and compassed 
 
 Round, by light which penetration 
 
 Fails to reach. 
 
 Veiled? a spiritual essence uncreated;. 9.ni 
 
146 
 
 Unknown, his works display and 
 
 Those alone, the grandeur of 
 
 Himself. 
 
 Unknown by such as from his power sprang, 
 
 He sits secure midst depths of 
 
 Essence his alone ; while vast 
 
 Displays, mark well his arm, and' 
 
 Wield his sceptre's boundless 
 
 Fame. 
 
 ** How sweet to muse upon his skill displayed ! 
 
 Infinite skill, in all that He has made ; 
 
 To trace in nature's most minute design, 
 
 The signature, and stamp of power divine : 
 
 Contrivance exquisite, expressed with ease, 
 
 Where unassisted sight no beauty sees ; 
 
 The shapely limb, and lubricated joint, 
 
 "Vyithin the small dimensions of a point, 
 
 Muscle and nerve miraculously spun ; 
 
 His mighty work, who speaks, and it is done : 
 
 The invisible, in things scarce seen, rev^ealed, 
 
 To whom an atom is an ample field." 
 
 How natural then, that each astonished is. 
 
 As discernment reads, and points to 
 
 Him, who planned, and built, and still 
 
 Sustains a world. 
 
 Humbled low, man scarce compares. 
 
 And knows full well. 
 
 That he far short, with nature 
 
147 
 
 Glides. 
 
 Vivid splendors, as with honors bright 
 
 Bring not contentment right ; 
 
 Resplendent beauties, such indeed 
 
 As space approves, bemean all 
 
 Pampered pride, and strike dismay 
 
 Midst human pomp. 
 
 Yet still though rays of grandeur 
 
 Glide from each Almighty source, 
 
 Proud man's ambition keeps its 
 
 Course. 
 
 Depraved; (though blot the stain forever cut,) 
 
 And why that scornful brow ? 
 
 Why look disdain upon a fellow man ? 
 
 Can such outlive life's lengthened span ? 
 
 Each the same, and each from 
 
 Dust has sprung, as each to dust 
 
 Must go. 
 
 The grave alike receives, while both alike 
 
 There's noisome reptiles waiting 
 
 To destroy. 
 
 For breath and pulse alike dependent 
 
 Each. 
 
 None lives complete, except through 
 
 Aid which others reach. 
 
 Where'er enjoyment seems man's lot, 
 
 It's held on tenure weak. 
 
 Friends and wealth may quick depart, 
 
148 
 
 While health and beauty fade like art. 
 
 Encircled in the smallest space 
 
 His knowledge is prescribed, and 
 
 Scarce succeeds to guide. 
 
 An atom mere, midst space, yet haughty 
 
 And oppressive to his race. 
 
 Man a tyrant, clothed with brief 
 
 Address, plunges deep his kindred in 
 
 Distress. 
 
 Scarce he comprehends, or faintly understands 
 
 The baser tricks, which draw from 
 
 Angels, tears of gracious weight. 
 
 Ambitious warriors wield the glittering steel, 
 
 While dames of noble birth through streets do 
 
 reel. 
 Inflated high they scorn the mass, and 
 Fain would use them as if grass. 
 Puffed high with vain conceit each smothering 
 Thought betrays the truth, and tells of ignorance 
 Yet uncouth. 
 
 In fine mankind from first to last, seems 
 Fired high. 
 
 Big with selfish pride, he scarce 
 Believes that he must die. 
 For short such ruthless repine flows, 
 As man recounts, and calls the past 
 To an exact review. 
 Ofttimes humbled in his present state 
 
149 
 
 He seems almost as worthless freight 
 
 Scarce an atom in the field he's 
 
 Almost lost and stands indeed a speck 
 
 Midst sacerdotal hosts. 
 
 Intelligences, no doubt exist far higher as to 
 
 Rank, than such as this our globe 
 
 Contains; 
 
 Strangers to ambitious lusts. 
 
 This globe and inmates dwindle down - 
 
 Within the compass of a point ; 
 
 Scarce perceived, they're known as mites 
 
 Within the water's drop. 
 
 Endowed with powers of flight, pursuing 
 
 Quick from world to world till each 
 
 Surveyed had been, at least so far as 
 
 Naked eye can see ; 
 
 Then mingling with, and tracing pure abodes, 
 
 Beholding humble praise bestowed, 
 
 Bestowed by all, on mighty 
 
 God Supreme. 
 
 How great the indignation, and how great 
 
 The tremor which would seize, 
 
 When back to earth, our flight descends 
 
 Midst beings deep immersed in ignorant glee ; 
 
 Depraved and heedless, still with high 
 
 Presumption glorying in their shame ; 
 
 Man, not created for such baseness 
 
 To indulge, disgusts the eyes of beings pure, 
 
150 
 
 And stirs the vengeance of a mighty 
 
 God. 
 
 Indeed, how humble each should prove, 
 
 As science renders plain 
 
 This prison bouse the world, 
 
 Unmasked as if by mighty fiat to convince. 
 
 Man's pride should not resist 
 
 Existing proof ; how vast 
 
 Each handiwork inspires deep, 
 
 With reverential awe, 
 
 Impressions wrought, and stamped e'en plain 
 
 By hands Divine. 
 
 Embue the mind with truth, that 
 
 Each, himself, and ways should know ; 
 
 His works with splendor flow ; 
 
 No mind, but what's amazed, when thoughts occur 
 
 That He who's helmsman, moves huge masses, 
 
 And with speed directs in order, 
 
 Globes through space. 
 
 E*en earth, man's restless and his Eden fair. 
 
 Astounds the thoughtless mind ; 
 
 The mountain's peak ; and levelled plain, 
 
 With waters vast that's o'er the main, 
 
 As thunders roll, and lightnings flash, 
 
 Vojcanic rivers often crash, 
 
 While earthquakes shake, and kingdoms 
 
 Quake, as emblems sure of Him 
 
 Who rides the storm, and 
 
151 
 
 Him who quick may overtake. 
 
 Terrific, still sublime, the mandate seems 
 
 Decree. 
 
 Jehovah, clothed, majestic, sovereign, free. 
 
 Demands submission all may sec, 
 
 Earth, His wrath makes shake. 
 
 Whilst foeman feels his hate ; 
 
 Hence, how just and right, that 
 
 Nature's volume be perused, 
 
 It's truths sublime can't be 
 
 Refused. 
 
 As exertion grows, improvement quickly 
 
 Flows. 
 
 Enlarging still, let each sieze facts 
 
 Established firm, and facts yet 
 
 Still to learn. 
 
 Pursue through space, and mark the i^^peed 
 
 Of each celestial race. 
 
 Compute the bulk of worlds now 
 
 Sporting in the deep abyss. 
 
 Disentangle from the secret deep, and 
 
 Thereby gain the real prize, 
 
 Exalted high, man seems thereby 
 
 Through other spheres to fly, 
 
 Each view augments his praise, while 
 
 Veneration quick must rise : 
 
 This, however great, falls short of what's 
 
 The proper weight. 
 
15S 
 
 God, possessed ©f attributes tiftosd, sesmi hid 
 
 la part from human mind 5 
 
 Concealed within his essence purs, 
 
 Such attributes remain. 
 
 His works are not a full display 
 
 While of them mind falls short to 
 
 Say. 
 
 Suffice, that veneration grows, deduced from 
 
 God, and God's own works which flow? 
 
 From hence enlivening hopes revive, 
 
 That man, a resurrection will survive ; . ijL| 
 
 Fixed the period seems to which existence binds, ^^ 
 
 This mortal frame must cease, and cease 
 
 Communion with the boisterous storm. 
 
 Quick snaps the brittle cord, and quick those 
 
 Scenes which to the naked eye were bare, 
 
 Far left behind, meet not the gazing stare; 
 
 Decaying quick, the mortal frame with reason sports, 
 
 And sports with man's conceit. 
 
 Taxed hard, the mind can scarce conceive, 
 
 That beauty, life, and shape, again from 
 
 Ashes shall revive. 
 
 ** How vast a power that^s Divine, 
 ** The wide expanse declares ; 
 " Almighty God 
 
 ** Has done much more ; nor is his arm impaired 
 " Through length of days, and what he can he 
 will|. 
 
P 153 
 
 " His faithfulness stands bound to see it done.** 
 He spake and worlds in vast profusion run, 
 Forsooth, man counts though done, he's just 
 
 begun ; 
 His arm controls, directs, and moves, 
 No doubt more worlds, than mortals on this 
 Globe survive, or has, or will exist. 
 Thence how doubtless then the stately fact, 
 '1 hat man again shall be compact, 
 Though clouds and darkness hover round, 
 Yet still the future none can bound. 
 Indeed, that science lights the mind, and 
 Lights the future up, no mind can pledge 
 A doubt. 
 
 Its track imbedded firm 
 Lies o'er a boundless field ; 
 Its freightage free, no charge encumbers as 
 A fee. 
 
 Gliding quickly on, new scenes of grandeur 
 Meet the view ; while bold displays 
 Astonish all, yet still how short 
 Thev fall. 
 
154 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS 
 
 THE GALLOWS. 
 
 Why strangle life with gallows ropes ? 
 The only heir of human hopes. 
 The law, though law alone except by human might, 
 In no case justly makes it right. 
 'Tis vengeance deep and dark, 
 Which thus strikes out the Hving spark ; 
 It seeks a barbarous custom to ignite, 
 And satiate spiteful human sight ; 
 Drawn up, suspended on the murderous height, 
 The spirit takes its lasting flight. 
 Who then responds, when to the charge 
 Grim murder though at large 
 Directs to those who bidding draw, 
 While each re-echoes 'tis the law. 
 How strange that rational minds should thus de- 
 duce a plea of right, 
 A plea indeed, based on the arm of flimsy might. 
 No plea exonerates a single man, 
 Altho' from masses sprung the plan ; 
 
 -^^ 
 
155 
 
 Each one his burden must sustain, 
 While voting sovereigns they remain ; 
 No law can blend or swallow up, 
 Though masses tip the bitter cup ; 
 The state controlled by one and all, 
 Must by the people stand or fall. 
 
156 
 
 LIFE'S REALITY. 
 
 Tremendous 'pears the leap, 
 As men from childhood peep, 
 Deep thoughts ascend the steep, 
 While back and up they creep. 
 
 From youth to ripen' d age, 
 How changed this mortal stage, 
 We pore o'er history's page. 
 But scarcely can we gage. 
 
 Sublime responds the thought. 
 When youthful scenes we've caught, 
 The plan when we were taught, 
 Imparts what man ne'er wrought. 
 
 The change with tears we greet, 
 While pondering nature's feat, 
 We find her not in heat, 
 Thouo:h sure with ease'to beat. 
 
 Indeed how changed is each retreat, 
 With tearful eye our visits we repeat, 
 We haste to take but not an ancient seat, 
 Where once reclined our youthful feet. 
 
157 
 
 With pensive silence here we moan. 
 And moan for relics of our youthful home ; 
 Where once erect stood high the tow'ring dome^ 
 But all has passed without a seeming groan. 
 
158 
 
 THE WANDERER. 
 
 On ocean's boisterous wave, 
 Rides briskly each abode ; 
 Abode indeed for those who're brave, 
 And those who long have strode. 
 
 How strangely wakes the moaning tear, 
 As billows roll and boil the sea, 
 Bestirring thoughts of those who're dear. 
 While far away their ship doth steer. 
 
 We scarce can think, except we fear 
 While tempest hurls and beats the main, 
 On which embark bold brothers dear, 
 To blot perhaps a direr stain. 
 
 Driven out, far severed from. 
 How slow and lonely pass the days. 
 With days indeed that's yet to come. 
 And shine with brighter rays. 
 
 The hour of parting seemed to me 
 Like sundering ties which years mature ; 
 But still, however this may be. 
 No time, or boon, can truly cure. 
 
159 
 
 Tossed midst wind and tide, 
 There seems as fancy beats the roaring surge, 
 A wish to save, and one, that he outride, 
 Lest we should sing his funeral dirge. 
 
 Methinks in pity's mourning name, 
 That that fair ship with full and fluttering wing, 
 Will bear him back from whence he came. 
 That he bright joys may homeward bring. 
 
 Welcome then ye breezes swift and fair. 
 Render quickly your most welcome charge, 
 And bring us thos3 for whom we care, 
 Though far at sea on but a barge. 
 
160 
 
 OCTOBER. 
 
 Portentous hanga the low thick cloud, 
 While frightful thunder speaks aloud, 
 Bestirring soon that changing shroud, 
 Of which dread winter seems so proud. 
 
 October's cold and cheerless blast, 
 Plucks beauty from the seeming fast ; 
 Midst shrub and plant, we find she's past, 
 With rigor stern, and gloom o'ercast. 
 
 How fit a theme on which to dwell, 
 As nature lies entranced as with a spell ; 
 'Tis true no tongue can of it justly tell. 
 Though eyes beheld, as down the curtain fell. 
 
 All dead, how like the mortal sleep 
 Appears this sure and annual sweep. 
 Its sickle seems as sure to reap, 
 As sure as man descends the steep. 
 
 O'ercome, how sad that silent gloom," 
 Which quickly spreads midst brightest bloom, 
 Its illustration seems a boon, 
 Directing thoughts down to the tomb. 
 
161 
 
 As man from spring to ripen'd age 
 Encounters frosts which round him rage, 
 He stands indeed a stately sage, 
 Till death o'erwhelms and sweeps the stage. 
 
162 
 
 THE SOLDIER'S CAREER. 
 
 Startling that decree, which bids the soldier on lo 
 
 strife ; 
 Advancing quick by sovereign will, he sunders hu- 
 man life. 
 T'vvere vain that he would spare the dreadful pang, 
 While orders reach which from his master sprang. 
 Suspended by his sturdy arm, 
 That deathly message speaks alarm. 
 But lo, remonstrance fails to stop. 
 Though meek concession rules his lot. 
 Laud high, or as you please, such murderous 
 
 bravery. 
 Yet still it seems, and still it is, concocted knavery. 
 Borne from realm to realm, what tidings swell, 
 E'en though deep vengeance yet, has notbefel. 
 The banded host impatient wait. 
 To strike the foeman they are bid to hate ; 
 Moving sometime slow, then with double speed, 
 They rush with fury first to feed, and then 
 To line their damning work with spoils of slaugh- 
 ter'd men. 
 
163 
 
 RESULTS OF NECESSITY. 
 
 SUuggling hard on life's tempestuous sea, 
 Man first makes choice his course to flee, 
 Impoverished though he be ; 
 Pie launches forrh, and fain would see, 
 Where lies his all, and life's sustaining fee. 
 Embarked midst frowns and wearied storms, 
 He sinks at times, and thinks despair hath over- 
 come ; 
 But struggUng still, once more again he rises not 
 
 undone. 
 Seizing firm his compass, map and chart. 
 With steady aim he seeks the mark ; 
 Unbroken and renewed by strength of heart, 
 He now pursues by strides of art. 
 Fully launched, and well prepared the storra to 
 
 meet. 
 He seems resolved the billows to defeat : 
 Exclaiming now erect or from his seat. 
 Oh cruel fate, how hard thy towering steep 
 Upraised ; it seems impoverished lot thy crags to 
 
 leap. 
 'Tis well no censure justly o'er thy course befel, 
 As man by perseverance must alone excel. 
 
164 
 
 A TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVE. 
 
 Fathers, how by words can we your valor here ex- 
 press ? 
 That power unknown, it seemed a magic spell. 
 That strength and tact which ye possessed, 
 Nerved strong the arm as British records yet re- 
 
 tell. 
 Such nameless vigor makes us start, 
 As we reflect with raptured heart ; 
 No stroke of studied art your secret bears, 
 No stern defiance but by ready skill ; 
 Though worn and worn by rolling years. 
 Yet unimpaired they cheer and keep us still. 
 How enchanting by-gone scenes which rise .'' 
 The hidden tear breathes fresh each heart-felt 
 
 strain, 
 While fancy swift exulting flies. 
 Why, that thoughts of mouldering clay with quick- 
 ness move, 
 The rapture and the woe of other days, 
 Whispering mildly yet with piercing rays 
 They point away midst Vernon's shades, 
 While there entombed beneath its glades, 
 Sleeps sweetly both alike, the warrior and the sage. 
 Why not while unobserved then, steal a thought 
 
165 
 
 Of those who have our battles fought ; 
 
 That band that from his orders never swerved, 
 
 AUke with him rests far removed. 
 
 Methinks that on those far and happier plains 
 
 With harps of praise forever strung, 
 
 I see exalted favor'd swains, 
 
 Who first of freedom's measures sung, 
 
 Now watchful and intent, their spirits seek to guard, 
 
 Directing us their offspring on, 
 
 Till we oppression crush, aud slavish freaks retard. 
 
166 
 
 ODE. 
 
 How dreary mid-winter appears, 
 As the sweet warbling sounds 
 Of the songster no longer resounds, 
 Saluting midst summer our ears. 
 
 On furlough he's bid us adieu, 
 While far to warm regions he's gone. 
 Gone with impatience, his song to renew, 
 VVhilst his, of all others, bright praises imbue. 
 
 Deep strike the deep tones. 
 
 While chanting they only bemoan, 
 
 And tell of cold winter, o'er which they would 
 
 groan. 
 Because of a truth, it drives them from home. 
 
 How long they for spring to return, 
 That they, where first they did learn. 
 May cheer with their voices, again and again. 
 The one that would greet them, and hold them in 
 chains. 
 
167 
 
 THE POET. 
 
 How hard when the poet no topic can find, 
 On which to display his genius of mind, 
 He takes up his pen, it matters not when, 
 And thinks he will try it again. 
 
 Re-rousing his vigor with speed he divines, 
 And quick a new subject he finds, 
 Exhausting with beauty, and keenness its source, 
 He sweeps o'er the next with double-dosed force. 
 
 Adversity never his topics retard, 
 As he invariably never is barred, 
 Dealing most sharply and always by yard, 
 'Tis pleasing to him to throw out his card. 
 
 Defending from critics his verses and all, 
 He never a censure would wish to recal, 
 His weapon more deadly than bane, 
 The man who attacks will find it not vain. 
 
168 
 
 SELECTED POEMS. 
 
 SUPERSTITION. 
 
 Not far away, for ages past had stood 
 
 An old, inviolated, sacred wood. 
 
 Whose gloomy boughs, thick interwoven, made, 
 
 A chilly, cheerless, everlasting shade 
 
 There not, the rustic gods, nor satyrs sport, 
 
 Nor fawns and sylvans with the nymphs resort ; 
 
 But barbarous priests some dreadful power adore, 
 
 And lustrate every tree with human gore. 
 
 If mysteries in times of old received, 
 
 And pious ancientry may be believed. 
 
 There not the feathered songster builds her nest, 
 
 Nor lonely dens conceal the savage beast ; 
 
 There no tempestuous winds presume to fly ; 
 
 E'en lightnings glance aloof, and shoot obliquely by. 
 
 No wanton breezes toss the wanton leaves, 
 
 But shivering horror in the branches heaves, 
 
 Black springs, with pitchy streams, divide the 
 
 ground. 
 And bubbling, tumble with a lullen ^ound, 
 
169 
 
 Old Images of form nil^jhapen, stand, 
 Rude, and unknowing of tlie artist's hand, 
 With hoary fiUh begrimed, each ghastly head, 
 Strikes the astonished gazer's soul with dread. 
 No gods, who long in common shape appeared, 
 Were e'er with such religious awe revered, 
 But zealous crowds in ignorance adore, 
 And still the less they know, they fear the more. 
 Oft, as fame tells, the earth in sounds of wo, 
 Is heard to groan from hollow depths below ; 
 The baleful yew, though dead has oft been seen, 
 To rise from earth, and spring with dusky green ; 
 With sparkling flames the trees unburning shine, 
 And round their boles prodigious serpents twine, 
 The pious worshippers approach not near. 
 But shun their gods, and kneel with distant fear, 
 The priest himself, when or the day, or night. 
 Rolling have reached their full meridian height, 
 Refrains the gloomy paths with wary feet, 
 Dreading the demon of the grove to meet ; 
 Who terrible to the sight, at that fixed hour 
 Still treads the round about his dreary bower. 
 This wood, near neighboring to the encompassed 
 
 town 
 Untouched by former wars remained alone ; 
 And since the country round it naked stands 
 From hence the Latlan chief supplies demand. 
 But lo ! the bolder hands that should have struck 
 
 8 
 
170 
 
 With some unusual horror, trembling shook ; 
 
 ^Vlth silent dread, and reverence they surveyed 
 
 The gloom majestic of the sacred shade; 
 
 None dares, with impious steel, the bark to rend, 
 
 Lest on himself the destined stroke descend. 
 
 Cffisar perceived the spreading fear to grow 
 
 Then eager, caught an ax, and aimed a blow; 
 
 Deep sunk within a violated oak, 
 
 The wounding edge, and thus the warrior spoke ; — 
 
 Now, let no doubting hand the task decline ; 
 
 Cut you the wood, and let the guilt be mine. 
 
 The trembling bands unwilhngly obeyed. 
 
 Two various ills were in the balance laid, 
 
 And Ccesar's wrath against the gods was weighed. 
 
 With grief and fear, the groaning Gauls beheld, 
 
 Their holy grove by impious soldiers felled ; 
 
 While thus Massilians, from the encompassed well, 
 
 Rejoiced to see the sylvan honors fell ; 
 
 They hope such power can never prosper long, 
 
 Nor think the patient gods will bear the wrong. 
 
171 
 
 THE FRIENDS OF MY YOUTH. 
 
 Friends of my youth ! where are ye ? on the stream 
 Of joyous life we gaily launched together, 
 Bloom'd then each bank, as in a fairy dream, 
 Serene the sky, and placid was the weather ! 
 But ye are gone, and have not told me whither! 
 Alone my bark is drifting down the tide ; 
 Alone she floats, nor one companion with her, 
 To hail her progress, or her motions guide ! 
 Alone I seem to live, where all is dead beside ! 
 
 Friends of my youth ! where are ye ? on the bank 
 Scarce here and there the willow branches wave, 
 To mark the spot where some fair vessel sank 
 Beneath the billows, to a watery grave ! 
 Ah! was there none for you the storm to brave? 
 None o'er the deep the friendly line to throw ? 
 None from oblivion dark your names to save, 
 Or on the last one simple stone bestow, 
 To tell what truth, what worth, what beauty rests 
 below ? 
 
 Friends of my youth ! where are ye ? on the gloom 
 Of midnight drear I often fix mine eye ; 
 And seem to view returning from the tombj 
 
172 
 
 The joys of other monarchs gliding by ! 
 
 'Tis then I wipe the tear, and check the sigh, 
 
 And bid the hymn replace the plaintive moan : 
 
 But morning dawns, the sainted visions fly, 
 
 I stretch my arms to grasp them ; but they're gone — 
 
 And I am left again — sad — comfortless — alone ! 
 
 Friends of my youth ! where are ye ? lost awhile ? 
 But not forever No ! the hour shall come. 
 When 1 shall meet you with a fairer smile, 
 And taste the raptures of your heavenly home ! 
 Cheerless, indeed, and lonely here I roam ! 
 But there is one, who is my pilot still ; 
 One, who amidst the tempest's thickest foam. 
 Can grasp the rudder with a master's skill. 
 And steer my skiff to land, and safety if He will ! 
 
173 
 
 THE EMBROIDRESS AT MIDNIGHT. 
 
 She plies the needle till the lamp 
 
 Is waxing pale and dim ; 
 She hears the watchman's heavy tramp, 
 
 And she must watch like him, 
 Her hands are dry, her forehead damp, 
 
 Her dark eyes fiiintly swim. 
 
 Look on her work ; — here blossom flowers 
 
 The lily and the rose, 
 Bright as the gems cf summer hours, 
 
 But not to die like those ; 
 Here, fadeless as in Eden's bowers. 
 
 Forever they repose. 
 
 Once, maiden, thou wast fresh and fair, 
 
 As those sweet flowers of thine ; 
 Now, shut from eunny light and air. 
 
 How canst thou choose but pine ? 
 Neglected flows thy raven hair, 
 
 Like the uncultur'd vine. 
 
 Look on her work ; — no common mind 
 
 Arranged that glowing group — 
 Wild wreaths the stately roses bind, 
 
 Sweet bells above them droop — 
 
174 
 
 Ye almost see the sportive wind 
 Parting the graceful troop ! 
 
 Look on her work ; — but look the more 
 
 On her unwearied heart, 
 And put aside the chamber-door 
 
 That doth the daughter part 
 From that dear mother, who before 
 
 Taught her this cunning art. 
 
 She sleeps — that mother, sick and pale- 
 She sleeps — and litde deems 
 
 That she, who doth her features veil 
 Ail day, in flitting gleams 
 
 Of anxious hope, this hour doth hail. 
 But not for happy dreams. 
 
 God bless her in her lone employ, 
 
 And fill those earnest eyes 
 With visions of the coming joy. 
 
 Waiting her sacrifice, 
 When they, who give her this employ. 
 
 Pay her its stinted price ! 
 
 Think how her trembling hand will clasp 
 
 The treasure it will hold, 
 With that which seems a greedy grasp — 
 
 Yet not for love of gold ; 
 That look — that sigh's relieving gasp, 
 
 Its deeper springs unfold. 
 
175 
 
 Think how her hasty feet will roam 
 The market and the street, 
 
 To purchase for her humble home 
 The food and clothing meet, 
 
 And with what gladness she will corns 
 Back to this poor retreat ! 
 
 Poor maiden ! if the fair ones who 
 Thy graceful 'broidery buy, 
 
 Only one-half thy struggles knew, 
 And filial piety, 
 
 Met hinks some drop of pity's dew 
 Would gem the proudest eye ; 
 
 It is not here its full reward 
 Thy gentle heart will prove ; 
 
 Here ever must thy lot be hard, 
 But there is one above 
 
 Who sees, and will not disregard, 
 Thy consecrated love. 
 
176 
 
 THE VOICE OF CHILDHOOD. 
 
 1 heard u voice, 9 cliildish voice, 
 And it bade my inmost soul rejoice ; 
 It spake of pure and pleasant things, 
 Of birds and bees, of flowers and springs : 
 All that was sunshiny and fair, 
 To grace a tale, wasgadier'd there ! 
 Oh ! childhood hath a gushing tone, 
 A clear sweet music all its own ;. 
 A flute-like sound, a wilding thrill, 
 Like the low rushing of a rill 
 Which gaily murmurs on its way. 
 Beside some ruin old and gray ; 
 Untainted by the touch of time. 
 Unchanged by darkness or decay, 
 And laughing in its sunny piime, 
 That anything should pass away ; 
 Yes — this is childhood, as it sports 
 Within a world of care and coil ; 
 Heedless alike of camps and courts ; 
 Thoughtless alike of grief and toil ; 
 Oh ! it is pleasant, in the shade 
 Of leaves and flowers, to hear the voice 
 Of children singing out the glee 
 
177 
 
 Of tlieir liuai l-gladiicss merrily, 
 Making the silence of the glade 
 Echo their cheerful song — " Rejoice !" 
 x\n(l childhood is a lovely thing 
 In its first freshness ; ere the wing 
 Of lime hath swept its downy cheek, 
 And left its trace of tears; 
 Ere woe hath made its young voice speak 
 The tale of after years ; 
 It is so fair — so pure — so bright 
 So redolent with joy ; 
 Sad- that its visions of delight 
 Should ever know alloy ; 
 Its eye is like the gliuering star 
 On Heaven's forehead set ; 
 Its golden hair gleams lovelier far 
 Than the attendant vapoi's are, 
 When the bright clouds have met; 
 Ten thousand splendors blent in one, 
 The funeral pageant of the sun ! 
 Its brow is placid, pure and fair, 
 Untainted and untouch'd by care ; 
 Its laughter, to maternal cars, 
 Seems the glad music of the spheres ; 
 While its light form with artless grace, 
 Makes ''sunshine in a shady place." 
 Its fairy foot, its bounding pace. 
 So lightly tempt life's cheating race, 
 8* 
 
178 
 
 As forward, with elastic limb, 
 Tt seems o'er sorrow's self to skim ; 
 Wiping the tear as soon as shed, 
 And casting every care behind ; 
 Alas ! my heart hath often bled 
 To think that it would one day find 
 (Like He who peopled earth, flinging 
 Stones backward on the path he fled,) 
 The cark and coil, for ever springing 
 Close on its track, with hydra head, 
 O'er which, in its first bloomy years, 
 It gaily pass' d— awaken tears 
 It never thouglit to shed ! 
 Thus muse 1 in my silent hour ; 
 But childhood, by the simple pow'^r 
 Of its free, fond, and flute-like voice, 
 Pispels the gloom, and says— -'Rejoice !'* 
 A*- 
 
179 
 
 BE KIND TO EACH OTHER. 
 
 Be kind to each other ! 
 
 The night's corning on, 
 When friend and when brother 
 
 Perchance may be gone ! 
 Then 'midst our dejection 
 
 How sweet to have earned 
 The blest recollection 
 
 Of kindness — returned ! 
 When day hath departed, 
 
 And memory keeps 
 Her watch, broken-hearted, 
 
 Where all she loved sleeps ! 
 
 Let falsehood assail not. 
 
 Nor envy disprove — 
 Let trifles prevail not 
 
 Against those ye love ! 
 Nor change with to-morrow, 
 
 Should fortune take wing, 
 But the deeper the sorrow, 
 
 The closer still cling ! 
 Oh, be kind to each other ! 
 
 The night's coming on, 
 When friend and when brodier 
 
 Perchance may be gone ! 
 
180 
 
 . STANZAS. 
 
 When roses deck the cheek of youth, 
 
 And laughter hghts the eye, 
 We oft forget the solemn truth, 
 
 That all these charms must die. 
 And when through every hounding vein, 
 
 The tide of vigor flows, 
 We think not of the hed of pain, 
 
 The mourner's secret woes. 
 
 'Tis therefore good to leave the seat 
 
 (The hook of wisdom tells) 
 Of mirth and joy, for that retreat 
 
 Where age or anguish dwells; 
 'Tis there the child of folly learns 
 
 The wounds which sin has given; 
 And there the eye of faith discerns 
 
 The balm which flows from heaven. 
 
 Ah ! never does the youthful smile 
 
 Such angel sweetness borrow. 
 As when it would the heart be2:uile 
 
 Of one dark hour of sorrow. 
 And never is the youthful tear . 
 
 In shower more graceful shed, 
 Than when it drops upon the bier 
 
 Where rests the hoary head. 
 
181 
 
 Then if iVoin Him who cannot lie 
 
 We would the future know, 
 Tliere is a record kept on high 
 
 Of what is done helow ; 
 And on that page a seraph's pen 
 
 Inscribes each act of love, 
 By which with other sons of men 
 
 We kindred feeling prove. 
 
 Each gentle look, each accent kind, 
 
 Each proof of tender care, 
 Which now we cannot call to mind, 
 
 Have long been written there. 
 And they who weep with theni that weep, 
 
 Or age's slumbers guard, 
 May lose the friends whose couch they keep, 
 
 But not their own reward. 
 
 For, in that day, when yonder sun 
 
 And every star is dim, 
 The cup of joy which they have won 
 
 Shall sparkle to the brim. 
 And if the bright, the happy souls, 
 
 The draught of rapture drain, 
 A stream of endless pleasure rolls, 
 
 To fill that cup again ! 
 
182 
 
 CONSOLATION. 
 
 Let them fall, these sad tears, let them silently fall, 
 
 On the pitiless path that I tread, 
 Where's the loved pious hand would have dried 
 them up all, 
 
 On the bosom to pillow my head ! 
 
 Let them fall like the rain on the cold rocky strand, 
 
 With a dull and a fruitless rebound 
 That no zephyr's light pinion in frolic haih fann'd, 
 
 No sunbeam hath kissed from the ground. 
 
 For what to the heart of my cold brother man 
 Is this poor breaking heart that I bear 'f 
 
 Far far from my grief its deep anguish to scan, 
 Too high to look down on my care. 
 
 But oh ! may their eyes never weep such sad tears) 
 Nor their sky be o'ercast like my own ; 
 
 May their future glide on in bright hopes, without 
 fears, 
 And let mine be the gall cup alone. 
 
 May the glittering crowds I have seen all depart 
 With a smile (though they look upon me,) 
 
 Never feel the deep want of that word to the heart, 
 That whispers, '* I'm weeping with thee." 
 
183 
 
 No longer can I then for sympathy turn 
 
 To man, who resists its demands ; 
 Let me cherish my grief, let my joy be to mourn, 
 
 And thus bury my face in my hands. 
 
 In that hour when my heart in solitude weeps, ^ 
 
 And its funeral mantle puts on. 
 And when none of its once loved possessions it 
 keeps, 
 
 Save its weeds for the last hope that's gone : 
 
 When friendship herself turns aside from the path 
 Where together we often had stray'd, 
 
 Andxpierces the heart, like the hollow reed staff, 
 Where the hand was too trustfully laid : 
 
 And when from our sorrow's contagion men go, 
 
 Too feeble to lend us relief, 
 And we silently walk in our pathway of wo, 
 
 Face to face and alone with our grief: 
 
 When the future has lost the last charm that could 
 make 
 
 The lorn spirit desire a to-morrow, 
 And when every morsel of bread that we take 
 
 Is moisten' d with tear-drops of sorrow : 
 
 'Tis then through the desolate silence I hear 
 Thy voice, O my God speaking rest ; 
 
 Thy hand can alone raise the weight of dull fear 
 That lies chilly and cold at my breast. 
 
1^4 
 
 'J'lieii 1 Ibel that no words like thy words havtj the 
 power 
 The wild flood of my grief to control, 
 From them consolation is pour'd in that hour, 
 
 When all others have ceased to console. 
 
 t 
 
 x^nd when I am drawn as a friend to thy breast. 
 
 Thine arms everlasting around. 
 The world cannot know, the sw^ect raptiu'e of rest, 
 
 The happiness there to be found. 
 
 And my soul mounts aloft in a spirit of prayer. 
 
 And melts in communings so high, 
 That, self-dried on my lids, ev^ry tear that btood 
 there 
 
 Has been chas'd like the dew from mine eye. 
 
 'Tis thus the bright sunbeam from rock or from 
 spray 
 (/an absorb the last droppings of rain ; 
 While the blast and the shadow, without heaven's 
 
 Might have swept o'er and o'er them in vain. 
 
185 
 
 A LYRIC FOR LOVERS. 
 
 Love launched a gallant little cralt, 
 
 Complete with every rope ; 
 In golden words was painted aft— 
 
 *' The Cupid, Captain Hope." 
 Pleasure was rated second mate, 
 
 And Passion made to steer ; 
 The guns were banded o'er to Fate, 
 
 To Impulse sailing-gear. 
 
 Merrily rowed the thoughtless crew 
 
 Amidst the billows' strife ; 
 But soon a sail bore down — all knew 
 
 'Twas Captain Reason's " Life." 
 And Pleasure left, though Passion said 
 
 He'd guard her safe from all harms : 
 'Twas vain ; for Fate rammed home the lead, 
 
 While Love prepared the small arms. 
 
 A storm arose ; the canvass now 
 
 Escaped from Impulse's hand, 
 While headstrong Passion dashed the prow 
 
 Swift on a rocky strand. 
 " All's lost !" each trembling sailor cried : 
 
 *' Bid Captain Hope adieu ;" 
 But in his life-boat Reason hied 
 
 To save the silly crew. 
 
186 
 
 Impulse the torrents overwhelm, 
 
 But Pleasure 'scaped from wreck, 
 Love making Reason take the helm, 
 
 Chained Passion to the deck. 
 *' I thought you were my foe ; but now/' 
 
 Said Love, "we'll sail together, 
 Reason, henceforth through life shalt thou 
 
 My pilot be forever."