The prospect of peace. A poetical composition, delivered in Yale-College, at the public examination, of the candidates for the degree of bachelor of arts; July 23, 1778. / By Joel Barlow, A.B. Barlow, Joel, 1754-1812. Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2006-06. N12454 N12454 Evans 15729 Evans 20952 APX1809 15729 99018505

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 Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 15729. Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 20952. (Evans-TCP ; no. N12454) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 15729) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 15729; 20952) The prospect of peace. A poetical composition, delivered in Yale-College, at the public examination, of the candidates for the degree of bachelor of arts; July 23, 1778. / By Joel Barlow, A.B. Barlow, Joel, 1754-1812. Yale College. 12 p. ; 17 cm. (12mo) Printed by Thomas and Samuel Green,, New-Haven: : M,DCC,LXXXVIII [i.e., 1778]. Published in 1778; see BAL.

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 eng Peace. United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Poetry. Poems -- 1778. 2005-08 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-09 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2006-01 Sampled and proofread 2006-01 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE PROSPECT OF PEACE.

A POETICAL COMPOSITION, DELIVERED IN YALE-COLLEGE, AT THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION, OF THE CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS; JULY 23, 1778.

By JOEL BARLOW. A. B.

NEW-HAVEN: PRINTED BY THOMAS AND SAMUEL GREEN, M,DCC,LXXXVIII.
THE PROSPECT OF PEACE. THE cloſing ſcenes of Tyrants' fruitleſs rage, The opening proſpects of a golden age, The dread events that crown th' important year, Wake the glad ſong, and claim th' attentive ear. Long has Columbia rung with dire alarms, While Freedom call'd her injur'd ſons to arms; While various fortune fir'd th' embattled field, Conqueſt delay'd, and victory ſtood conceal'd; While cloſing legions mark'd their dreadful way, And Millions trembled for the dubious day. In this grand conflict heaven's Eternal Sire, At whoſe dread frown the ſons of guilt expire, Bade vengeance riſe, with ſacred fury driven, On thoſe who war with Innocence and Heaven. Behold, where late the trembling ſquadrons fled, Hoſts bow'd in chains, and hapleſs numbers bled, In different fields our numerous heroes rouſe, To crop the wreath from Britain's impious brows▪ Age following age ſhall theſe events relate 'Till Time's old empire yield to deſtin'd Fate; Hiſtoric truth our guardian chiefs proclaim, Their worth▪ their actions, and their deathleſs fame; Admiring crouds their life-touch'd forms behold In breathing canvaſs, or in ſculptur'd gold, And hail the Leader of the favorite throng, The rapt'rous theme of ſome heroic ſong. And ſoon, emerging from the orient ſkies, The blisful morn in glorious pomp ſhall riſe, Wafting fair Peace from Europe's fated coaſt; Where wand'ring long, in mazy factions loſt, From realm to realm, by rage and diſcord driven, She ſeem'd reſolv'd to reaſcend her heaven. This LEWIS view'd, and reach'd a friendly hand, Pointing her flight to this far-diſtant land; Bade her extend her empire o'er the Weſt, And Europe's balance tremble on her creſt! Now, ſee the Goddeſs mounting on the day, To theſe fair climes direct her circling way, Willing to ſeek, once more, an earthly throne, To cheer the globe, and emulate the ſun. With placid look ſhe eyes the bliſsful ſhore, Bids the loud-thundering cannon ceaſe to roar; Bids Britiſh navies from theſe ports be toſt, And hoſtile keels no more inſult the coaſt; Bids private feuds her ſacred vengeance feel, And bow ſubmiſſive to the public weal; Bids long, calm years adorn the happy clime, And roll down bleſſings to remoteſt time. Hail! heaven-born Peace, fair Nurſe of Virtue hail! Here, fix thy ſceptre and exalt thy ſcale; Hence, thro' the earth extend thy late domain, 'Till Heaven's own ſplendor ſhall abſorb thy reign! What ſcenes ariſe! what glories we behold! See a broad realm its various charms unfold; See crouds of patriots bleſs the happy land, A godlike ſenate and a warlike band; One friendly Genius fires the numerous whole, From glowing Georgia to the frozen pole. Along theſe ſhores, amid theſe flowery vales, The woodland ſhout the joyous ear aſſails; Induſtrious crouds in different labors toil, Thoſe ply the arts, and theſe improve the ſoil. Here the fond merchant counts his riſing gain, There ſtrides the ruſtic o'er the furrow'd plain, Here walks the ſtateſman, penſive and ſerene, And there the ſchool boys gambol round the green. See ripening harveſts gild the ſmiling plains, Kind Nature's bounty and the pride of ſwains; Luxuriant vines their curling tendrils ſhoot, And bow their heads to drop the cluſtering fruit; In the gay fields, with rich profuſion ſtrow'd, The orchard bends beneath its yellow load, The lofty boughs their annual burden pour, And juicy harveſts ſwell th' autumnal ſtore. Theſe are the bleſſings of impartial Heaven, To each fond heart in juſt proportion given. No graſping lord ſhall grind the neighbouring poor, Starve numerous vaſſals to increaſe his ſtore; No cringing ſlave ſhall at his preſence bend, Shrink at his frown, and at his nod attend; Afric's unhappy children, now no more Shall feel the cruel chains they felt before, But every State in this juſt mean agree, To bleſs mankind, and ſet th' oppreſſed free. Then, rapt in tranſport, each exulting ſlave Shall taſte that Boon which God and nature gave, And, fir'd with virtue, join the common cauſe, Protect our freedom and enjoy our laws. At this calm period, ſee, in pleaſing view, Art vies with Art, and Nature ſmiles anew: On the long, winding ſtrand that meets the tide, Unnumber'd cities lift their ſpiry pride; Gay, flowery walks ſalute th' inraptur'd eyes, Tall, beauteous domes in dazzling proſpect riſe; There thronging navies ſtretch their wanton ſails, Tempt the broad main and catch the driving gales; There commerce ſwells from each remoteſt ſhore, And wafts in plenty to the ſmiling ſtore, To theſe throng'd ſeats the country wide reſorts, And rolls her treaſures to the op'ning ports; While, far remote, gay health and pleaſure flow, And calm retirement cheers the laboring brow. No din of arms the peaceful patriot hears, No parting ſigh the tender matron fears, No field of fame invites the youth to rove, Nor virgins know a harſher ſound than love. Fair Science then her laurel'd beauty rears, And ſoars with Genius to the radiant ſtars. Her glimmering dawn from Gothic darkneſs roſe, And nations ſaw her ſhadowy veil diſcloſe; She cheer'd fair Europe with her riſing ſmiles, Beam'd a bright morning o'er the Britiſh iſles, Now ſoaring reaches her meridian height, And bleſt Columbia hails the dazzling light! Here, rapt in tho't, the philoſophic ſoul Shall look thro' Nature's parts and graſp the whole. See Genius kindling at a FRANKLIN'S fame, See unborn ſages catch th' electric flame, Bid hovering clouds the threatening blaſt expire, Curb the fierce ſtream and hold th' impriſon'd fire! See the pleas'd youth, with anxious ſtudy, rove, In orbs excentric thro' the realms above, No more perplex'd, while RITTENHOUSE appears To grace the muſeum with the rolling ſpheres. See that young Genius, that inventive ſoul, Whoſe laws the jarring elements control; Who guides the vengeance of mechanic power, To blaſt the watery world & guard the peaceful ſhore. And where's the riſing Sage, the unknown name, That new advent'rer in the liſts of fame, To find the cauſe, in ſecret nature bound, The unknown cauſe, and various charms of ſound? What ſubtil medium leads the devious way; Why different tenſions different ſounds convey; Why harſh, rough tones in grating diſcord roll, Or mingling concert charms th' enraptur'd ſoul. And tell the cauſe why ſluggiſh vapors riſe, And wave, exalted, thro' the genial ſkies; What ſtrange contrivance nature forms to bear The ponderous burden thro' the lighter air. Theſe laſt Diſplays the curious mind engage, And fire the genius of the riſing age; While moral tho'ts the pleas'd attention claim, Swell the warm ſoul, and wake the virtuous flame; While Metaphyſics ſoar a boundleſs height, And launch with EDWARDS to the realms of light. See the bleſt Muſes hail their roſeate bowers, Their manſions blooming with poetic flowers; See liſtening Seraphs join the epic throng, And unborn JOSHUAS riſe in future ſong. Satire attends at Virtue's wakening call, And Pride and Coquetry and Dulneſs fall. Unnumber'd bards ſhall ſtring the heavenly lyre, To thoſe bleſt ſtrains which heavenly themes inſpire; Sing the rich Grace on mortal Man beſtow'd, The Virgin's Offspring and the filial God; What love deſcends from heaven when JESUS dies! What ſhouts attend him riſing thro' the ſkies! See Science now in lovelier charms appear, Grac'd with new garlands from the blooming Fair. See laurel'd nymphs in poliſh'd pages ſhine, And Sapphic ſweetneſs glow in every line. No more the rougher Muſe ſhall dare diſgrace The radiant charms that deck the bluſhing face; But riſing Beauties ſcorn the tinſel ſhow, The powder'd coxcomb and the flaunting beau; While humble Merit, void of flattering wiles, Claims the ſoft glance, and wakes th'enlivening ſmiles. The opening luſtre of an angel-mind, Beauty's bright charms with ſenſe ſuperior join'd, Bid Virtue ſhine, bid Truth and Goodneſs riſe, Melt from the voice, and ſparkle from the eyes; While the pleas'd Muſe the gentle boſom warms, The firſt in genius, as the firſt in charms. Thus age and youth a ſmiling aſpect wear, Aw'd into virtue by the leading Fair; While the bright offspring, riſing to the ſtage, Conveys the bleſſings to the future age. THESE are the views that Freedom's cauſe attend; THESE ſhall endure 'till Time and Nature end. With Science crown'd, ſhall Peace and Virtue ſhine, And bleſt Religion beam a light divine. Here the pure Church, deſcending from her God▪ Shall fix on earth her long and laſt abode; Zion ariſe, in radiant ſplendors dreſs'd, By Saints admir'd, by Infidels confeſs'd; Her opening courts, in dazzling glory, blaze, Her walls ſalvation, and her portals praiſe. From each far corner of th' extended earth, Her gathering ſons ſhall claim their promis'd birth. Thro' the drear waſtes, beneath the ſetting day, Where prowling natives haunt the wood for prey, The ſwarthy Millions lift their wondring eyes, And ſmile to ſee the Goſpel morning riſe: Thoſe who, thro' time, in ſavage darkneſs lay, Wake to new light, and hail the glorious day! In thoſe dark regions, thoſe uncultur'd wilds, Freſh blooms the roſe, the peaceful lilly ſmiles. On the tall cliffs unnumber'd Carmels riſe, And in each vale ſome beauteous Sharon lies. From this fair Mouth th'excinded ſtone ſhall roll, Reach the far Eaſt and ſpread from pole to pole; From one ſmall Stock ſhall countleſs nations riſe, The world repleniſh and adorn the ſkies. Earth's blood-ſtain'd empires, with their Guide the Sun, From orient climes their gradual progreſs run; And circling far, reach every weſtern ſhore, 'Till earth-born empires riſe and fall no more. But ſee th' imperial GUIDE from heaven deſcend, Whoſe beams are Peace, whoſe kingdom knows no end; From calm Veſperia, thro' th' etherial way, Back ſweep the ſhades before th' effulgent day; Thro' the broad Eaſt, the brightening ſplendor driven, Reverſes Nature and illumins heaven; Aſtoniſh'd regions bleſs the gladdening ſight, And Suns and Syſtems own ſuperior light. As when th' aſterial blaze o'er Bethl'em ſtood, Which mark'd the birth-place of th' incarnate God; When eaſtern prieſts the heavenly ſplendor view'd, And numerous crouds the wonderous ſign purſu'd: So eaſtern kings ſhall view th' unclouded day Riſe in the Weſt and ſtreak its golden way: That ſignal ſpoke a Savior's humble birth, This ſpeaks his long and glorious reign on earth! THEN Love ſhall rule, and Innocence adore, Diſcord ſhall ceaſe, and Tyrants be no more; 'Till you bright orb, and thoſe celeſtial ſpheres, In radiant circles, mark a thouſand years; 'Till the grand fiat burſt th' etherial frames, Worlds cruſh on worlds, and Nature ſink in flames! The Church elect, from ſmouldering ruins, riſe, And ſail triumphant thro' the yielding ſkies, Hail'd by the Bridegroom! to the Father given, The Joy of Angels, and the Queen of Heaven!