Science. A poem. / By Francis Hopkinson, Esq; ; [Two lines in Latin from Horace]

Science. A poem. / By Francis Hopkinson, Esq; ; [Two lines in Latin from Horace]

Table of contents

Title page

§

SCIENCE. A POEM.

[Page]

SCIENCE. A POEM.

THOU Goddess oft invok'd! who loves to stray

With light-wing'd FANCY thro' th'Elysian Way:

Whether it chance to please the youthful Queen,

With airy Step to grace the rural Scene;

Or softly languish thro' the breezy Grove,

In all the dying tenderness of Love;

Or, Moon-light wandring by the Surf-beat Shoar,

Attend the Waters melancholy Roar—

[Page]Thou who canst bid the eager Spirit rise,

And dip her Plumage in the dewy Skies;

Once more propitious to my Pray'r attend!

Once more, CELESTIAL MUSE! thy Influence lend.

FAIR SCIENCE softning, with reforming Hand,

The native Rudeness of a barbarous Land;

Her radiant Throne, uprais'd by Pow'r divine;

Her numerous Sons low bending at her Shrine

I sing—Oh could my artless Numbers seem

To flow inspir'd, and equal to my Theme!

YE Friends of Learning patronize my Song,

To You the tributary Strains belong.

But chiefly THOU, beneath whose gentle Sway

The Muse delights to swell the pleasing Lay;

Glad Science THEE shall her MAECENAS hail,

Wisdom shall smile, and heav'nly Truth prevail.

[Page]

IN yonder Dome—it boasts no pompous Name,

Yet not the less shall swell the Page of Fame—

In yonder Dome, with modest Beauty crown'd,

Whose sober Walls it's ample Area bound,

Bright Sicence dwells—how honour'd the Retreat

Where Science deigns to fix her fav'rite Seat!

High from her Throne she beams celestial Day,

And distant Lands confess th'enliv'ning Ray:

The Graces ever in her Presence stand,

And Virtue blooms beneath her nursing Hand.

THERE first her youthful Vot'ry learns to please

By just Expression, and becoming Ease—

Delightful Task! with early Care to teach,

His lisping Tongue, Propriety of Speech—

See on the Stage the little Hero stands

With Eyes uplifted, and extended Hands:

[Page]Or from his Lips Pope's liquid Numbers flow

In Streams mellifluous—see the conscious Glow

Burns on his Cheek; perhaps the Strains inspire

The infant Raptures of poetic Fire;

Perhaps 'tis Modesty, with native Grace

Bids rising Blushes tinge his youthful Face:

Or now the Force of Eloquence he tries,

And Attic Lightnings kindle in his Eyes;

Methinks I see the deep-touch'd Senate glow,

Whilst mimic Thunders threaten from his Brow:

Or now his infant Tongue, in borrow'd Lays,

Swells the smooth Tribute of his MAKER'S Praise;

See all the Ardor of the Saint exprest,

As if the Numbers fir'd his little Breast.

What Joy to hear, what Rapture to behold

The graceful Bard—so young and yet so bold

In Virtue's Cause—bright Truth shall soon inspire

The lively Ardors of a real Fire.

[Page]

BUT now glad Science to his riper Age

Unlocks the Treasures of the Classic Page.

Sweet Heliconian Draughts enrich his Soul;

From the pure Stream he drinks without Controul.

Virgil for him awakes the tuneful Lyre;

And lavish Pindar pours out all his Fire—

Pious Aeneas! who attends thy Woe

But deeply feels the sympathetic Glow?

Thro' ev'ry Page engaging Virtues shine,

And frequent Precepts grace each moral Line.

Whilst Horace leads the Lyric Muse along,

With careless Ease attunes the pleasing Song;

Th'unlabour'd Thought, harmoniously exprest,

Gives gayer Transports to the youthful Breast.

Homer more boldly strikes the Epic String—

Swift are we born upon his rapid Wing

[Page]Where bleeding Heroes stain th'empurpled Ground,

And angry Gods are heard in Thunder round.

Now fearless grown the Student loves t'engage

More arduous Heights—the Mathematic Page

Invites his riper Reason to explore

The mazy Windings of her subtle Lore:

The pleasing Toil delights th'enquiring Youth,

And Science guides him to th'entangled Truth.

AT length behold to his astonish'd Eye,

Nature's vast Volume all expanded lye.

From each Effect, he strives to know the Cause,

And deeply searches her mysterious Laws.

Earth, Air nor Sea, nor Heav'n's extended Space

Can bound the Search of Man's aspiring Race.

Upward he lifts the Astronomic Eye,

Surveys those Worlds of Light that roll on High;

[Page]Mid Suns and blazing Stars he dares to rove,

And learns th'important Laws by which they move;

Sits in the Center, wrapt in Thought profound,

And views the radiant System rolling round.

To REASON's Eye there shall the Cause appear

Why various Seasons form the changing Year.

SPRING first, in Mantle green, and Garlands gay,

Sweet-smelling as she passes, leads the Way;

With breezy Call awakes each rural Sound,

And fills with Music, Woods and Valleys round.

Then Summer comes light-clad in glowing Red,

Whilst the thick Foliage nods around her Head;

With lavish Bounty from her Lap she pours

Luxuriant Gifts of Herbage, Fruit and Flowers.

In yellow Garb, see Autumn next appear,

To crown with Plenty the rejoicing Year;

[Page]O'er new reap'd Fields with airy Step she roves,

And paints with various Hue the fading Groves.

Then boist'rous Winter howls along the Plain,

Affrighted Vegetation shrinks again

Back into Earth—Woods, Hills and Valleys stand

Stripp'd of their Pride by his relentless Hand;

In icy Bonds he holds the Water's Fall,

And in his snowy Mantle wraps them all.

THUS shall his Eye important Truths pursue,

And in HIS Works the Great CREATOR view.

The painted Birds that wing the liquid Sky;

The varied Flowers that glow with grateful Dye;

The clustring Fruits that smile in Plenty round;

The Herbs medicinal that strew the Ground;

ALL must the Philosophic Bosom move

To Wonder, Gratitude and glowing Love.

[Page]

AND now the Pupil takes his boldest Flight;

See him adventrous scale the tow'ring Height

Of Ethic Learning—more extensive Fields,

More pleasing Views the boundless Prospect yields.

His Searches now pursue a nobler Plan;

Now comes that grand Enquiry—WHAT IS MAN?

How form'd? By whom?—Thence shall he learn to know

From his Connections, what great Duties flow!

What Pow'rs are giv'n those Duties to fulfil;

How form the Judgment; How direct the Will.

When Passion to indulge; when to restrain;

And how his HAPPINESS SUPREME obtain;

What is the Nature of his NOBLER PART;

Why with Ambition throbs his anxious Heart

To draw the Midnight Curtains of the Tomb,

And look for Judgment, and a World to come.

[Page]

WHAT Joys from such important Knowledge flow;

See in his Visage conscious Virtue glow.

His Views enlarge; enlightned is his Mind;

More warm his Heart; his Passions more refin'd;

RELIGION kindles her celestial Ray;

And TRUTH breaks on him in a Flood of Day.—

PIERIAN MUSE! thy Favour still prolong,

And let thy Presence animate my Song!—

NOW Science joys to call the Youth her own,

And crowns with Laurel her adopted Son:

His Alma Mater now prepares to shed

Her rich Rewards on his distinguish'd Head.

The vaulted Roof, the rising Anthems rend,

And pressing Crowds the solemn Scene attend.

Prepar'd for Action now he takes the Field,

And Speculation must to Practice yield.

[Page]High on the Stage, and graceful to the View—

"Adieu! dear Seat of Bliss, he cries, Adieu!"

Pathetic Sorrows in his Bosom swell,

And, with reluctant Voice, he sighs a last Farewell.

WHAT means my trembling Pulse and throbbing Breast?

Why is the Scene to me so strong exprest?

Fancy again renews the awful Rite;

Th'encircling Audience swims before my Sight.

Once more my Heart beats quick with anxious Fear;

Once more methinks the solemn Charge I hear—

*"Go forth my Sons, our first, our early Pride!

"Thro' Life's dark Maze, be Virtue still your Guide:

"Without RELIGION Learning is but vain,

"And fruitless Toil, Philosophy to gain:

[Page]" 'Tis not sufficient that the Right you know,

"Your Conduct ever must your Knowledge show.

"Should injur'd FREEDOM for Assistance cry,

"Nor Eye, nor Ear, nor Hand, nor Heart deny;

"With pious Zeal upraise her drooping Head:

"THERE'S nought but VICE and TYRANNY to dread."—

BLEST Institution! Nurse of Liberty!

My Heart, my grateful Heart shall burn for thee.

No common Pride I boast, no common Joy,

That thy Instructions did my Youth employ:

Tho' not the first among thy Sons I prove,

Yet well I feel I'm not the last in Love.

Oh may'st thou still in Wealth and Power encrease,

And let thy sacred Influence never cease!

IT must be so, prophetic Fancy cries,

See other Popes, and other Shakespears rise;

[Page]Each sage Philosopher, each learn'd Divine,

And patriot Worthies, an illustrious Line:

All those, who nobly fill Fame's ample Page

Again revive to grace a future Age—

Blest Institution hail! methinks I see

The shining Throng ascribe their Birth to THEE.

THOU Schuylkill, from whose Clifts I love to view

Thy gurgling Stream it's rocky Way pursue,

Shall own [...]e Change—the savage Yell no more

With rougher Sounds shall rend thy rugged Shoar.

Oh let thy Groves their richest Beauties wear,

And for approaching happier Times prepare.

ALONG thy Banks the pensive Bard shall stray,

Sweep the sweet Lyre, and wake the tuneful Lay;

Echo shall love to catch the melting Sound,

And bid it soften all thy Rocks around.

[Page]Ev'n now thy flow'ry Paths I see him tread,

And pluck thy Laurels to adorn his Head:

How shall thy Waves elate flow proudly by,

And grow more turgid, but to catch his Eye.

Thy rural Scenes shall flourish in his Song,

And each romantic Height his Strains prolong.

THERE, whilst his Breast with sacred Ardor burns,

RELIGION, JUSTICE, LIBERTY, by Turns,

And SCIENCE too, in more harmonious Strains,

Shall sweetly warble to the Woods and Plains.

PERHAPS the Bard, when highest Noon prevails,

Beneath some Shade shall court refreshing Gales;

And, whilst his wand'ring Fancy roves more free,

May chance to think on earlier Times, and me—

Presumptuous Thought! shall my unpractis'd Lay

Be born in Safety down Time's rapid Way;

[Page]And still the Rocks of Criticism fly,

Or fearless pass Oblivion's Quicksands by.

Enough for me, if, with the least Regard,

The Friends of Science shall my Song reward.

No speedy Death my artless Strains shall know,

Nor without Honour will my Numbers flow,

If thus indulgent THEY shall not refuse

To smile propitious on my humble Muse.

FINIS.

Notes

*

THIS Passage alludes to the Charge delivered by the Provost to the Candidates for Degrees, at the first anniversary Commencement.

↵

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

SCIENCE. A POEM.

BY FRANCIS HOPKINSON, Esq

Doctrina sed Vim promovet insitam.

Rectique Cultus Pectora roborant.

HOR.

PHILADELPHIA: Printed by WILLIAM DUNLAP, in Market-Street MDCCLXII.

§

§

[Page]

To the Honorable JAMES HAMILTON, Esq William Allen, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, William Coleman, Alexander Stedman, William Plumsted, Edward Shippen, Thomas Willing, William Coxe, Abraham Taylor, Benjamin Chew, Thomas Cadwallader, Joseph Turner, and Thomas Leech, Esquires. Dr. Thomas Bond, Dr. Phineas Bond, Dr. William Shippen, Thomas White, Philip Syng, John Inglis, Samuel McCall, Gentlemen; and the Reverend Mr. Jacob Duchè, Trustees of the COLLEGE and ACADEMY of PHILADELPHIA. AND TO The Reverend William Smith, D. D. Provost, the Reverend Francis Alison, D. D. Vice-Provost, the Reverend Ebenezer Kinnersly, M. A. John Beveridge, M. A. and Hugh Williamson, M. A. Professors in the said COLLEGE. [Page]
GENTLEMEN,

IT is not without great Expectations from your Candour and Indulgence, that I am encouraged to lay this little Poem at your Feet.

I do not flatter myself that your Institution will hereby derive any additional Lustre; but only take this Opportunity of publickly acknowledging my Affection and Gratitude to that Seat of SCIENCE.

May all your Undertakings for its Advancement meet with more than expected Success: And may it never want Friends to support it with equal Zeal, but greater Abilities than I can boast.

I am, GENTLEMEN, Your most obliged humble Servant, F. H.

Information about this book

Title statement

Science. A poem. / By Francis Hopkinson, Esq; ; [Two lines in Latin from Horace]

Hopkinson, Francis, 1737-1791.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2009-10.

ID [DLPS]

N07171

ID [TCP]

N07171

ID [STC]

Evans 9141

ID [NOTIS]

APV5719

ID [IMAGE-SET]

9141

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99001132

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Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 9141.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N07171)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 9141)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 9141)

Source

— Science. A poem. / By Francis Hopkinson, Esq; ; [Two lines in Latin from Horace], Hopkinson, Francis, 1737-1791..

Extent

iv, [1], 6-19, [1] p. ; (4to)

Printed by William Dunlap, in Market-Street,,. Philadelphia: :: MDCCLXII. [1762].

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