The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

PORTRAIT
A perusal of the manuscript enables us
to lay before our readers the following lines
from a Poem delivered before the Washington
Benevolent Society in Newburyport, by John
Parrpoint, Esq. We offer no comments on
it. This is unnecessary to those who know
that the author wrote the address of Newbu-
ryport to his Excellency the Governour on the
subject of the war, in July last. We can only
remark, that we are happy to learn, this Poem
will soon be presented to the publick entire. It
is entitled "The Portrait" The pencil that can
draw such Portraits, should not remain idle.
Boston Gazette.
Extract from the Poem.
"So shone Columbia, when in happier days
O'er Eastern Mountains, with "unbounded
blaze."
She saw the Sun of Independence rise,
And roll, rejoicing, through unclouded skies:
So shone Columbia, when her infant hand,
With magick pow'r along her verdant strand,
Charm'd into life the city's busy throng.
And roll'd of wealth the swelling tide along,
While Freedom's pure and consecrated fires
Glow'd in her halls, and glitter'd on her spires :
So shone Columbia, when her naval pine
Bow'd at the touch, to float beneath the line,
And proudly bear, o'er ev'ry wave unfurl'd
Her swelling canvas, o'er the wat'ry world:
So shone Columbia, when the trembling wave
Heard Preble's thunder, and saw Somers
grave:
So shone, whene'er she trod her native plain-
(For she emerg'd, like Venus. from the Main)
Till doom'd from Neptune's empire to retire,
And dew, with tears, the ashes of her sire.
But now, how chang'd the scene! ye blissful
days,
Withdraw the dazzling splendour of your blaze!
And Mem'ry! snatch thy record from my sight,
Whose leaves emblazon'd with the beams of
light,
Pour on the eye that glances o'er thy page,
The strong effulgence of a golden age.
Come, Lethe, come! thy tide oblivious roll,
O'er all that proud complacency of soul,
That gen'rous ardor, that enliv'ning flame
That warm'd my bosom, when I heard the
name
Of my once honour'd country."