 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
AN ODE,
FOR THE GRAND CANAL CELEBRATION, NOV. 4, 1825.
'Tis done, 'tis done!—The mighty chain
Which joins bright Erie to the Main,
For ages, shall perpetuate
The glory of our native state.
Which joins bright Erie to the Main,
For ages, shall perpetuate
The glory of our native state.
'T is done!—Proud Art o'er Nature has prevailed!
Genius and perseverance have succeeded!
Though selfish Prejudice assailed,
And honest Prudence pleaded.
Genius and perseverance have succeeded!
Though selfish Prejudice assailed,
And honest Prudence pleaded.
'T is done!—The monarch of the briny tide,
Whose giant arm encircles earth,
To virgin Erie is allied,
A bright-eyed nymph of mountain birth.
Whose giant arm encircles earth,
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A bright-eyed nymph of mountain birth.
To-day, the sire of Ocean takes
A sylvan maiden to his arms,
The goddess of the crystal lakes,
In all her native charms!
A sylvan maiden to his arms,
The goddess of the crystal lakes,
In all her native charms!
She comes! attended by a sparkling train;
The Naiads of the West her nuptials grace;
She meets the sceptred father of the main,
And in his heaving bosom hides her virgin face
Rising from their watery cells,
Tritons sport upon the tide,
And gayly blow their trumpet-shells,
In honor of the bride.
Sea-nymphs leave their coral caves,
Deep beneath the ocean waves,
Where they string, with tasteful care
Pearls upon their sea-green hair.
The Naiads of the West her nuptials grace;
She meets the sceptred father of the main,
And in his heaving bosom hides her virgin face
Rising from their watery cells,
Tritons sport upon the tide,
And gayly blow their trumpet-shells,
In honor of the bride.
Sea-nymphs leave their coral caves,
Deep beneath the ocean waves,
Where they string, with tasteful care
Pearls upon their sea-green hair.
Thetis' virgin train advances,
Mingling in the bridal dances;
Jove, himself, with raptured eye,
Throws his forkéd thunders by,
And bids Apollo seize his golden lyre,
A strain of joy to wake;
Mingling in the bridal dances;
Jove, himself, with raptured eye,
Throws his forkéd thunders by,
And bids Apollo seize his golden lyre,
A strain of joy to wake;
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While Fame proclaims that Ocean's sire
Is wedded to the goddess of the lake.
The smiling god of song obeys,
And heaven re-echoes with his sounding lays.
Is wedded to the goddess of the lake.
The smiling god of song obeys,
And heaven re-echoes with his sounding lays.
All hail to the Art which unshackles the soul!
And fires it with love of glory!
And causes the victor, who reaches the goal,
To live in deathless story!
And fires it with love of glory!
And causes the victor, who reaches the goal,
To live in deathless story!
“Which teaches young Genius to rise from earth,
On Fancy's airy pinion,
To assert the claims of its heavenly birth,
And seize on its blest dominion.
On Fancy's airy pinion,
To assert the claims of its heavenly birth,
And seize on its blest dominion.
“The Art which the banner of Truth unfurled,
When darkness veiled each nation,
And prompted Columbus to seek a new world
On the unexplored map of creation.
When darkness veiled each nation,
And prompted Columbus to seek a new world
On the unexplored map of creation.
“Which lighted the path of the pilgrim band,
Who braved the storms of ocean,
To seek, in a wild and distant land,
The freedom of pure devotion.
Who braved the storms of ocean,
To seek, in a wild and distant land,
The freedom of pure devotion.
“Which kindled, on Freedom's shrine, a flame
That will glow through future ages,
And cover with glory and endless fame
Columbia's immortal sages.
That will glow through future ages,
And cover with glory and endless fame
Columbia's immortal sages.
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“The Art which enabled her Franklin to prove,
And solve each mystic wonder!
To arrest the forked shafts of Jove,
And play with his bolts of thunder.
And solve each mystic wonder!
To arrest the forked shafts of Jove,
And play with his bolts of thunder.
“The Art, which enables her sons to aspire,
Beyond all the wonders in story;
For an unshackled PRESS is the pillar of fire
Which lights them to Freedom and Glory.
Beyond all the wonders in story;
For an unshackled PRESS is the pillar of fire
Which lights them to Freedom and Glory.
“'T is this which called forth the immortal decree,
And gave the great work its first motion;
'T is done! by the hands of the brave and free,
And Erie is linked to the Ocean.
And gave the great work its first motion;
'T is done! by the hands of the brave and free,
And Erie is linked to the Ocean.
“Then hail to the Art which unshackles the soul,
And fires it with love of glory,
And causes the victor who reaches the goal,
To live in deathless story.”
And fires it with love of glory,
And causes the victor who reaches the goal,
To live in deathless story.”
Such strains—if earthly strains may be
Compared to his who tunes a heavenly lyre—
Are warbled by the bright-haired deity,
While listening orbs admire.
Compared to his who tunes a heavenly lyre—
Are warbled by the bright-haired deity,
While listening orbs admire.
Such strains shall unborn millions yet awake,
While, with her golden trumpet, smiling Fame
Proclaims the union of the main and lake,
And on her scroll emblazons Clinton's name.
While, with her golden trumpet, smiling Fame
Proclaims the union of the main and lake,
And on her scroll emblazons Clinton's name.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |