Classic Poem

There are, who skim the stream of life,
And catch delight from every passing gale,
No doleful sounds their ear assail,
Nor heed they Nature's strife:
Bright skies illume their dawn of day,
While Music wakes her magic powers;
No clouds obstruct their noon-tide ray,
And to soft measures move their evening hours.
Gaily, Love's idle rovers, on they glide,
While Pleasure, laughing fair, their vessel loves to guide.

I. — 2.

Their destin'd course some lonely bend,
And no propitious gales attend;
While notes of woe are heard from far,
The frantic scream, the din of war;
Sruggling with storms, their mornings doubtful rise:
Sullen and slow proceed their hours along;
Mid seowling tempests close their ev'ning skies,
Nor soothes their ear the cheerful voice of song.

I. — 3.

But lo! the sons of Genius stand,
And S CIENCE open spreads her volume fair:
And F RIENDSHIP waves her hand,
To check the child of Mirth, to soothe the child of care.
N ATURE assumes her smiling form,
Like Ocean resting from a storm;
From distant I NDIA 's pearly shores,
From mystic E GYPT 's latent stores,
Or where in G RECIA 's tuneful groves,
The G RACES wanton'd with the L OVES ,
Lo! S CIENCE comes, and takes her awful seat,
While G ENIUS glides along, his Queen's advance to greet.

II. — I .

The blooming wreath of rapturous praise
Now weave with varied skill, and conscious pride,
As when, near P ISA 's laurelled side,
The T HEBAN wove the living bays.
Of brow serene, and port sublime,
Immortal S CIENCE , hail! to thee,
Bright with the spoils of ancient time,
We yield the crown, we bend the willing knee;
To thee the V IRTUES all obedient rise,
And Truth , with unveil'd face, and clear unclouded eyes.

II. — 2.

" Ye sons of M IRTH , and sons of C ARE ,
" I the bower of bliss prepare;
" Near me stream ambrosial showers;
" Near me bloom immortal flowers;
" Oh! hither, then, your erring courses bend;
" Here M IRTH 's wild crew may haply find a friend;
" Soon near my side shall C ARE forget to grieve;
" And pining M ELANCHOLY dare to live! "

II. — 3.

Thus S CIENCE spoke aloud — when, lo!
By F ANCY 's eye was seen the sacred choir,
That taught with vivid glow
The canvas first to shine, that waked the melting lyre.
And round and round their Q UEEN they move,
Symphonious to the voice of L OVE .
Nor did in vain the thrilling dart
Of music pierce the captiv'd heart,
Till every discord died away,
As clouds before the solar ray:
Thro' the wide earth th'harmonic chords resound;
While R APTURE lifts her voice, and G OODNESS smiles around.