PROSPECT OF THE FUTURE GLORY OF AMERICA: Being the conclusion of an Oration, delivered at the public commencement at Yale-College, September 12, 1770. AND see th' expected hour is on the wing, Beneath a sacred grove's inspiring shade, When Night the world in pleasing glooms array'd, There see, in pomp for ages without end, The glories of the Western World ascend. "See, this blest land in orient morn appears, Waked from the slumber of six thousand years, While clouds of darkness veil'd each cheering ray; To savage beasts and savage men, a prey. Fair Freedom now her ensigns bright displays, And peace and plenty bless the golden days. In radiant state th' imperial realm shall rise, Her splendor circling to the boundless skies; Of every Fair she boasts the assembled charms, The Queen of empires and the nurse of arms. "See her bold heroes mark their glorious way, Arm'd for the fight and blazing on the day! [plain, Blood stains their steps, and o'er th' ensanguined Mid warring thousands and mid thousands slain, Their eager swords unsated carnage blend, And ghastly deaths their raging course attend. Her dreaded power the subject world shall see, And laurel'd conquest wait her high decree. "And see her navies, rushing to the main, Catch the swift gales and sweep the wat❜ry plain; Or led by commerce, at the merchant's door Unlade the treasures of the Asian shore; Or arm'd with thunder, on the guilty foe Rush big with death and aim th' unerring blow ; Bid every realm, that hears the trump of fame, "For pleasing Arts behold her matchless charms, The first in letters, as the first in arms. See bolder genius quit the narrow shore, The fainting gleam of Europe's setting ray. "Sublime the Muse shall lift her eagle wing; When earth's last fires shall mark their dreadful way, Or ope heaven's glories to th' astonish'd eye, And bid their lays with lofty Milton vie ; Or wake from nature's themes the moral song, A second Watts shall string the heavenly lyre, "Her Daughters too the happy land shall grace And warm the pictured canvas into life. "See heaven-born Music strike the trembling Devotion rising on the raptured wing. [string, "See the proud dome with lofty walls ascend, Wide gates unfold, stupendous arches bend, The spiry turrets, piercing to the skies, With Roman splendor and Athenian fire, At freedom's call, teach manly breasts to glow, O, born to glory when these times prevail, Great nurse of learning, fair Yalensia,* hail! Within thy walls, beneath thy pleasing shade, We woo'd each Art, and won the Muse to aid. These scenes of bliss now closing on our view, Borne from thy seats, we breathe a last adieu. Long may'st thou reign, of every joy possess'd, Blest in thy teachers, in thy pupils blest ; To distant years thy fame immortal grow, Thy spreading light to rising ages flow; Till Nature hear the great Archangel's call, Till the last flames involve the sinking ball; Then may thy sons ascend th' ethereal plains, And join seraphic songs, where bliss eternal reigns. * The author at this time received the degree of Master of Arts in this University, where he had resided for the seven preceeding years. |