Heav'n has on man the reasoning gift bestow'd, And in his breast fublime ideas fow'd ; But as it fares with rich luxuriant land, When left to chance, nor till'd by culture's hand, Not more diftinguifh'd in creation's chain Then, led by Science, fancy wings her flight Or foaring 'mid the radiant planets glow ;Where, wonder ftruck!- fhe finds their sparkling rays, But bright reflections from the folar blaze ! And views with steady eye those wandering stars, That fright the world with prodigies and wars! By By SCIENCE youthful minds are taught to know, What to their God, their Country, Friends, they owe; Life's glorious fcope, and whence it first began, What fprings direct the Microcofm, Man; What bids a favage like a fage to shine, Or makes an * Attila an† Antonine ; All that ennobles man's exalted race, All that Religion, Virtue, Truth, embrace! 'Tis ber's with loftier feelings to inspire, And fit a mortal for the heavenly choir ! *The tyrannical King of the Hunns. † Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, equally fam'd for his clemency and philosophy. VERSES, Written and pronounced as an Exercife at the Public Commencement, May 30, 1765, on taking the Degree of M. A. in faid College. 'TW. WAS nobly done! the Mufe's feat to In this fair land, and earn immortal praise ! What land than this can choicer bleffings claim, Where facred liberty has fixt her name; Where Where o'er each field gay Plenty spreads her store, Free as yon river laves the winding shore ; Where active Trade pours forth her jovial train To make our native treasures doubly bleft, Was fure a scheme to fire each worthy breaft; Was fit for learning's patrons and for you! As from the east yon orb firft darts his ray O'er heav'ns blue vault, and weftward bends his way, So Science in the orient climes begun, And, like bright Sol, a western circuit run; From eaftern realms to Greece was learning brought, What e'er Pythagoras or Cadmus taught; Her form illuftrious Athens did illume, And rais'd the genius of imperial Rome; From Latium's plains fhe fought Britannia's fhore, And bid her barb'rous fons be rude no more; *The Delaware. Fierce Fierce nations roam'd around the rugged isle, Fair Cam and Ifis heard no mufe's ftrains, Their fhades were trod by wolves and fiercer Danes, Each grove and mountain fhall be facred made, Flush'd with the thought I'm borne to ages hence, The mufe-wrought vifion rushes on my sense. Methinks MESSIAH's enfign I behold In the deep gloom of yonder fhades unroll'd, While through their breasts celeftial transports roll. |