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,
For fragrant flowers the rankling weeds arise,
Poifon the plains and all their charms disguise;
So when the thoughts are in a lawless state,
Which in the mind's fair garden vegetate,
Soon fhall intentions foul pollute the breast,
Like noxious weeds that flow'ry lawns infeft.

Not more diftinguifh'd in creation's chain
Is man, by reafon, o'er the beftial train,
Than man from man, by education made,
When native sense by Science is array'd,
When ev'ry faculty matur'd by skill,
Obeys the dictates of the fapient will;

Then, led by Science, fancy wings her flight
Round the wide world, or to the realms of light,
Extracting wisdom from each scene below,

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
raise

In this fair land, and earn immortal praise !
To civilize our firft fam'd fires began,
'Twas yours to profecute the glorious plan;
They peopled deferts with unwearied toil,
Establish'd laws and till'd the fruitful foil;
'Twas yours to call in each refining art,
T'improve the manners and exalt the heart;
To train the rifing race in wifdom's lore,
And teach them virtue's fummit to explore.

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
O'er the green bofom of the boundless main;
Where honeft Industry's bright tools refound,
And Peace her olive fcepter waves around?
To fuch a ftate fair SCIENCE to convey,
And beam afar the philofophic day;

To make our native treasures doubly bleft,

Was fure a scheme to fire each worthy breaft;
Was fit for gen'rous patriots to pursue,

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,
Till Science on its fields began to fmile;

Fair Cam and Ifis heard no mufe's ftrains,

Their fhades were trod by wolves and fiercer Danes,
Till with the ARTS Augufta's grandeur rose,
And her loud thunder fhook the deep's repofe.
Juft fo, in time (if right the Mufe defcries)
Shall this wide realm with tow'ry cities rife ;
The fpacious Delaware, thro' future fong,
Shall roll in deathlefs majefty along;

Each grove and mountain fhall be facred made,
As now is Cooper's hill and Windfor's fhade.

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,
And hear the Gofpel's filver clarion found,
Roufing with heav'nly ftrains the heathen round;
Methinks I hear the nations fhout aloud,
And to the glory-beaming ftandard crowd;
New infpirations fhake each trembling frame,
The PARACLETE pours forth the lambent flame,
In renovating streams on ev'ry foul,

While through their breasts celeftial transports roll.
Stupendous