 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
PRINTERS' ODE.
From the crystalline courts of the temple of light,
The dove-eye of Mercy to earth was directed,
Where mortals were grov'ling, deep shrouded in night;
For passion was worshipped and wisdom rejected:
Immersed in each ill
Of corrupted free-will,
Yet Mercy was patient, and Patience slept still:
For infinite Love had his banner unfurled,
And the precepts of wisdom were preached to the world.
The dove-eye of Mercy to earth was directed,
Where mortals were grov'ling, deep shrouded in night;
For passion was worshipped and wisdom rejected:
Immersed in each ill
Of corrupted free-will,
Yet Mercy was patient, and Patience slept still:
For infinite Love had his banner unfurled,
And the precepts of wisdom were preached to the world.
But haughty Ambition extended his reign,
And wielded the sceptre of magic delusion,
Held Reason enshackled in Tyranny's chain,
And governed by knowledge and learning's exclusion.
With mitre and hood,
Superstition and blood,
Corruption and vice deluged earth like a flood;
The blood-crimsoned banner of war was unfurled,
And knowledge and science were swept from the world.
And wielded the sceptre of magic delusion,
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And governed by knowledge and learning's exclusion.
With mitre and hood,
Superstition and blood,
Corruption and vice deluged earth like a flood;
The blood-crimsoned banner of war was unfurled,
And knowledge and science were swept from the world.
Deep locked in the shrine of antiquity's lore,
The Scriptures of light were withheld unexpounded,
A counterfeit Peter still guarded the door,
And the seekers of truth were by error confounded.
Omnipotence saw—
Bade Delusion withdraw,
And ordained that our art should promulgate his law.
Then Genius his fetters at Tyranny hurled,
And printing appeared to enlighten the world.
The Scriptures of light were withheld unexpounded,
A counterfeit Peter still guarded the door,
And the seekers of truth were by error confounded.
Omnipotence saw—
Bade Delusion withdraw,
And ordained that our art should promulgate his law.
Then Genius his fetters at Tyranny hurled,
And printing appeared to enlighten the world.
The blush of Aurora now lighted the east,
And banished the darkness of mystical terror:
Man sprang from the shrine of the mystical beast,
While prejudice owned and relinquished his error,
The truth was received,
Admired and believed,
And ours is the art which the blessing achieved:
For now was the banner of Wisdom unfurled,
And printing arose, like a sun, to the world.
And banished the darkness of mystical terror:
Man sprang from the shrine of the mystical beast,
While prejudice owned and relinquished his error,
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Admired and believed,
And ours is the art which the blessing achieved:
For now was the banner of Wisdom unfurled,
And printing arose, like a sun, to the world.
The sage of Genoa, whose emulous soul,
By a flash from our art, glowed with new inspiration;
In brilliant perspective saw glory's bright goal,
And enrolled a new world on the page of creation.
With high-swelling breast,
Still onward he pressed,
Till Eden's bright regions appeared in the West;
Each clime saw the canvass of Europe unfurled,
While printing taught Commerce to polish the world.
By a flash from our art, glowed with new inspiration;
In brilliant perspective saw glory's bright goal,
And enrolled a new world on the page of creation.
With high-swelling breast,
Still onward he pressed,
Till Eden's bright regions appeared in the West;
Each clime saw the canvass of Europe unfurled,
While printing taught Commerce to polish the world.
But the sons of the West to more glory were born,
And to us shall proud Europe the laurel surrender;
For though hers was the blushing effulgence of morn,
Yet ours is the noon of meridian splendor;
For Heaven decreed
That Columbia be freed,
And printing and valor accomplished the deed.
The banner of war was by Justice unfurled,
And freedom by printing proclaimed to the world.
And to us shall proud Europe the laurel surrender;
For though hers was the blushing effulgence of morn,
Yet ours is the noon of meridian splendor;
For Heaven decreed
That Columbia be freed,
And printing and valor accomplished the deed.
The banner of war was by Justice unfurled,
And freedom by printing proclaimed to the world.
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Our standard the eagle of liberty bears,
His eyes, like the stars that surround him, resplendent,
While the olive asks peace, every arrow declares,
Columbia for ever shall be independent;
For freedom is ours,
Nor shall Europe's mad powers
A feather e'er filch from our bird as he towers;
And while a free PRESS thus enlightens the world,
The banner of Liberty ne'er shall be furled.
His eyes, like the stars that surround him, resplendent,
While the olive asks peace, every arrow declares,
Columbia for ever shall be independent;
For freedom is ours,
Nor shall Europe's mad powers
A feather e'er filch from our bird as he towers;
And while a free PRESS thus enlightens the world,
The banner of Liberty ne'er shall be furled.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |