 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
HAIL TO THE ART.
Hail to the art! whose effulgence has brightened
The darkness that shrouded, for ages, the world;
Long shall her sons, by its lustre enlightened,
Wave the bright banner which Freedom unfurled.
Dark was the human mind,
And hoodwinked reason blind,
While Tyranny gave to his war-steeds the rein;
Then Faust arose to bless,
And gave to man the press,
Free as the billows of Neptune's domain.
The darkness that shrouded, for ages, the world;
Long shall her sons, by its lustre enlightened,
Wave the bright banner which Freedom unfurled.
Dark was the human mind,
And hoodwinked reason blind,
While Tyranny gave to his war-steeds the rein;
Then Faust arose to bless,
And gave to man the press,
Free as the billows of Neptune's domain.
Then Liberty roused from the slumber of ages,
And taught a new nation to rise in the West;
While History, smiling, unfolded her pages,
And showed the bright name of Columbia impressed.
Long fought her patriot band,
Blood flowed around the land,
Till liberty triumphed over tyranny's powers;
The light which printing shed,
Like Sol's effulgence spread,
And glory, with bright Independence, was ours.
And taught a new nation to rise in the West;
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And showed the bright name of Columbia impressed.
Long fought her patriot band,
Blood flowed around the land,
Till liberty triumphed over tyranny's powers;
The light which printing shed,
Like Sol's effulgence spread,
And glory, with bright Independence, was ours.
Beaming with splendor, from Liberty's altar,
Ascended the flame which our art had kept bright,
When demons united again to assault her,
Demolish her shrine, and extinguish its light.
Hark! trumpets sound alarms;
Drums, bugles, call to arms—
Arouse, freemen, rouse! to the field like your sires!
Soon shall the foeman yield,
Or fly the embattled field,
For Liberty triumphs while Printing inspires.
Ascended the flame which our art had kept bright,
When demons united again to assault her,
Demolish her shrine, and extinguish its light.
Hark! trumpets sound alarms;
Drums, bugles, call to arms—
Arouse, freemen, rouse! to the field like your sires!
Soon shall the foeman yield,
Or fly the embattled field,
For Liberty triumphs while Printing inspires.
Twice have our arms Independence protected,
And twice haughty Britain has yielded the fight;
Long shall our valor and rights be respected,
Long shall the blaze of our glory be bright.
Then hail the heaven-born art,
Which first improved the heart,
And ransomed the mind from the thraldom of sense!
Long shall Columbia bless
The free unshackled Press,
Liberty's Ægis, and Virtue's defence.
And twice haughty Britain has yielded the fight;
Long shall our valor and rights be respected,
Long shall the blaze of our glory be bright.
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Which first improved the heart,
And ransomed the mind from the thraldom of sense!
Long shall Columbia bless
The free unshackled Press,
Liberty's Ægis, and Virtue's defence.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |