University of Virginia Library

ON SEEING THE ADDRESS TO THE SHIP AMERICA IN WHICH GOVERNOR CARLETON AND HIS FAMILY EMBARK FOR ENGLAND

With HAZEN'S prayer, so well express'd,
And, though to fabled Names address'd,
Yet meant to One Great Power Divine,
Accept, fair Ship, and mingle mine.
O may that Power, whose awful sway
Contending Elements obey,
With Western Breezes sweep the Sea,
To clear a smiling path for thee!
Yet, while he chacks the raging main,
Let not a placid sameness reign,
But let Parental Joy perceive
The changing Scene, from Morn to Eve,
From Eve to Morn of every day,
New wonders of the Deep display,
To fill the young enquiring Sight
With fresh Surprise and fresh Delight.
“Look EMMA, for your Infant Eye,
Had learn'd no objects to descry,
Beyond the Space that Shelter gave
To cradle you across the wave,
When, destin'd first abroad to roam,
You reach'd yon temporary Home;
Look Anne, who in this Western world
First saw the light;—See how, unfurl'd,
The swelling sail its bosom fills
With Breezes from the lessening Hills;
And while her wings the Vessel speed,
See how those lessening Hills recede!
The craggy mount, whose frowning Brow
Is honor'd with the name of Howe,
No longer shows the Banner spread
Which lately mark'd his lofty head.
Now can the straining Eye no more
Discern the windings of the Shore;
The Landscape seems to sink away,
And leave the Sun's declining Ray,
Without eclipse, to gild the Wave,
Until, his burning Orb to lave,
Beyond the bending Western Steep,
He slowly glides into the Deep.”
And here—when Evening, which now lights on high
The starry Vault, and Morning, which comes round,
Shall of this Voiage measure the first day,—
O! had I Milton's Voice, to summon forth,
In apt Succession, daily to appear,
And daily to diversify the Scene,
Such Natives of the main, as, whether oft
Or seldom, have to man's intrepid eye,
In various tracts of Ocean's wide Domain,
Their various forms and characters displayed;—
These all, by turns, or in well-mingled throngs,
As best the occasion might befit, should come,
(If happly at my bidding they would come)
Round thee to play, and do thy Passengers
Mute homage and fantastic gratulation.
But hold—nor let my lips profane
Attempt this lofty hallowed strain;
Hallowed in Eden's blissful Seat
And on the Tempter's last defeat.
Disclaiming then the Poet's Art,
Let me the wishes of my heart
Briefly express:------
------Let CARLETON come,
Attended as he goes, from home,
With happy Omens, back to share,
For us a gracious Monarch's care,
Leaving that Monarch's Realm in Peace,
With wealth and Glory's rich increase,
Triumphant o'er his foes!—and then,
I hope, with tuneful voice, again
To lure sweet Echo from her Cave,
And welcome Carleton, while a brave
And Loyal People loudly Sing
“Welcome CARLETON! and GOD Save the KING!”