Kentucky Gazette And General Advertiser

"TO SOAR ALOFT ON FANCY'S WING."

ORIGINAL.

ODE
For the 4th of July, 1806.

Hail lovely morn, thou source of festive joys
Resplendent o'er the Land of Freedom rise,
With golden sparkles touch the pearly dews,
And Light and Liberty at once diffuse.
And thou, the guardian of this western globe,
Bright Goddess of the starry robe
Columbia! shedding perfumes round, descend
Thy light bestreaming locks unbound,
While all the strings of joy resound,
Come, lead our jocund dances round and round.
Hark! how the brazen trumpets roar,
And cannons thunder round the boundless shore,
Our songs of conscious joy to Heaven ascend
Be present Nymphs! ye sons of labor
In mirth unbounded strike the tabor,
-Bring casks of wine, the goblets bring,
Make hoary age and wisdom sing!
All, all! shall join the jovial chorus,
All celebrate this glorious day.
Care's gloomy throngs shall fly before us,
For all in freedom's festive roundelay!
Hark far around the drums are beating,
The distant, still more distant swells repeating
Loud Echo rides o'er Allegheny's rocky chains.
His thousand peaks reverberate the strains.
Adown his thousand streams they roll,
Thundering loud from pole to pole,
The hanging woods aloof,
Up to the starry roof.
Concordant to the mighty chorus swell.
And Heavenly Harmony strikes her golden shell.
Such was the boundless joy
That sparkled in Columbus' eve
When first he saw amid the clouds
These mountains rear their piney shrouds-
So danced his sea-worn throng
When all their harps to rapturous joy were strung
Th' astonish'd hills and dales around,
Listening to the wondrous sound,
Hail'd the bright Genius of immortal song
Ye Sons of Art and godlike Science,
Whose golden labors bid defiance
To every curse pale want can bring,
Whom Chance or Wisdom's choice has hurl'd
Into Freedom's happier world,
The bliss of Peace and INDEPENDENCE sing
G.BK.