To praise and celebrate the wondrous love

That called them out of darkness into light,—

Severed the chain which bound them to the dust,

Unclosed the silent portals of the grave,

And gave Hope wings to soar again to heaven!—

Oh, thou bright spirit, of whose power I sing,

Electric, deathless energy of mind,

Harp of the soul, by genius swept, awake!

Inspire my strains, and aid me to portray

The base and joyless vanities which man

Madly prefers to everlasting bliss!—

Come! let us mount gay Fancy's rapid car,

And trace through forest and o'er mountain rude

The bounding footsteps of the youthful bard,

[Pg 5]

Yet new to life—a stranger to the woes

His harp is doomed to mourn in plaintive tones.

His ardent unsophisticated mind,

On all things beautiful, delighted, dwells.

Earth is to him a paradise. No cloud

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