 | The institute |  |
61
L'ENVOI.
To squabbling school-boys, and to bearded men,
Old maids and bachelors, and lovers vain;
Fathers and mothers, pedagogues of schools;
To courtiers, clowns, philosophers, and fools,
Thus have I sung, in bold adventurous lay,
The wondrous Birth of this eventful day:
I've sung the rising Star—the troubled Sky—
The Mouse in labour—and the Mountain high.
Old maids and bachelors, and lovers vain;
Fathers and mothers, pedagogues of schools;
To courtiers, clowns, philosophers, and fools,
Thus have I sung, in bold adventurous lay,
The wondrous Birth of this eventful day:
I've sung the rising Star—the troubled Sky—
The Mouse in labour—and the Mountain high.
A little while, and lo, another Song,
In rapid verse, your pleasure shall prolong:
We've seen the Mountain raise its craggy head,
The rising Planet glow with brighter red;
Rest we a space,—and then I shall unfold
How the new Planet o'er the heavens roll'd;—
What animals along the mountain's brow,
Did fiercely howl or sorrowfully low;
And what they eat amid the scroggy wild,
And how they chew'd the cud when they were fill'd:—
These in my next I'll faithfully display;
I ween you see my allegoric way,—
The Star—the Heaven—the Mouse—the Mountain, suit
The Birth and Being of the Institute.
In rapid verse, your pleasure shall prolong:
We've seen the Mountain raise its craggy head,
The rising Planet glow with brighter red;
62
How the new Planet o'er the heavens roll'd;—
What animals along the mountain's brow,
Did fiercely howl or sorrowfully low;
And what they eat amid the scroggy wild,
And how they chew'd the cud when they were fill'd:—
These in my next I'll faithfully display;
I ween you see my allegoric way,—
The Star—the Heaven—the Mouse—the Mountain, suit
The Birth and Being of the Institute.
Another part—and then I'll hush my tongue—
Another part I sing a prophet's song,
In awful strain which mortal never heard,
How doors of future ages are unbarr'd!
How th'Institute with sweet, heart-cheering tone,
Shall wake the Negro, 'neath the fiery Zone,
And even teach the frozen blood to glow
Of Lapland Savage, 'midst eternal snow!—
The last effects of this enormous birth,
Thro' island, country-town, and inland firth,
On shepherds, fishers, smugglers, gipseys, hinds,
On birds, and beasts, and fishes of all kinds,
In strain sublimely sweet I will rehearse,
And weave my fame in everlasting verse.
Another part I sing a prophet's song,
In awful strain which mortal never heard,
How doors of future ages are unbarr'd!
How th'Institute with sweet, heart-cheering tone,
Shall wake the Negro, 'neath the fiery Zone,
63
Of Lapland Savage, 'midst eternal snow!—
The last effects of this enormous birth,
Thro' island, country-town, and inland firth,
On shepherds, fishers, smugglers, gipseys, hinds,
On birds, and beasts, and fishes of all kinds,
In strain sublimely sweet I will rehearse,
And weave my fame in everlasting verse.
Even now, in depths of ages unreveal'd,
In visions bright from mortal ken conceal'd,
I see my shade in radiant triumph rise,
Like seraph soaring to his native skies!
Innumerous people raise a loud acclaim,
And bending hymn the Demi-god of fame!
In visions bright from mortal ken conceal'd,
I see my shade in radiant triumph rise,
Like seraph soaring to his native skies!
Innumerous people raise a loud acclaim,
And bending hymn the Demi-god of fame!
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