 | Ballads and other verses |  |
79
FOR THE INAUGURATION OF FRANKLIN'S STATUE IN HIS NATIVE CITY.
Give welcome to his sculptured form!
Art's splendid triumph here is won,—
Thus let him stand in light and storm,
Our sea-girt city's greatest son.
Art's splendid triumph here is won,—
Thus let him stand in light and storm,
Our sea-girt city's greatest son.
His lineage sprung from honest toil,
Swart Labor trained his youthful hand;
High with the brave who freed our soil—
Where first he breathed let Franklin stand.
Swart Labor trained his youthful hand;
High with the brave who freed our soil—
Where first he breathed let Franklin stand.
His genius stamped the Press with power;
His glance the glowing future saw;
His science curbed the fiery shower;
His wisdom stood with Peace and Law.
His glance the glowing future saw;
His science curbed the fiery shower;
His wisdom stood with Peace and Law.
The world his story long has shrined,—
To Fame his spotless deeds belong,—
His homely Truth, his ample Mind,
His Saxon hate of human Wrong.
To Fame his spotless deeds belong,—
His homely Truth, his ample Mind,
His Saxon hate of human Wrong.
80
Room for the gray-haired patriot-sage!
For here his genial life began;
Thus let him look from age to age,
And prompt new Thought ennobling Man.
For here his genial life began;
Thus let him look from age to age,
And prompt new Thought ennobling Man.
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