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124
ON VISITING THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, AT CHARLOTTESVILLE.
Fair Star of Science! Be thy light
Auspicious to that Ancient Realm,
Which gave so oft her men of might
Wisely to guide the nation's helm;—
Auspicious to that Ancient Realm,
Which gave so oft her men of might
Wisely to guide the nation's helm;—
Nought but the savage war-whoop burst
O'er this wide clime of moral night,
Till from the western chaos first
She raised her urn of trembling light;—
O'er this wide clime of moral night,
Till from the western chaos first
She raised her urn of trembling light;—
Rear 'neath thy domes a glorious race
Their country's honour to protect,
And on an everlasting base
The fabric of her power erect;
Their country's honour to protect,
And on an everlasting base
The fabric of her power erect;
Or, fired with eloquence sublime,
The sinner's slumbering soul to wake,
And bid it, ere the wreck of time,
The harbour of salvation make;
The sinner's slumbering soul to wake,
And bid it, ere the wreck of time,
The harbour of salvation make;
Or, moved by pity to explore
The ills that waste life's fleeting wealth,
Toil through the languid frame to pour
The balm of renovated health.
The ills that waste life's fleeting wealth,
Toil through the languid frame to pour
The balm of renovated health.
Nursed in thy halls of lore refined,
May other Franklins spring to birth,
And rule, with unpretending mind,
The fires of Heaven, and lords of earth.
May other Franklins spring to birth,
And rule, with unpretending mind,
The fires of Heaven, and lords of earth.
125
Like Johnson, in Herculean might,
Bid some philologist arise,—
Some Milton, with seraphic flight,
Or Newton, pupil of the skies.
Bid some philologist arise,—
Some Milton, with seraphic flight,
Or Newton, pupil of the skies.
And should some tyrant's sceptred hand
Menace the rights our fathers won,
Or danger cloud our native land,
Send forth a future Washington.
Menace the rights our fathers won,
Or danger cloud our native land,
Send forth a future Washington.
Star of Virginia!—pure and free!—
Thy beams shall gild that Sage's way,
Who touch'd the kindling torch to thee,
And shines in thy reflected ray.
Thy beams shall gild that Sage's way,
Who touch'd the kindling torch to thee,
And shines in thy reflected ray.
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