COLUMBIA.

Columbia.

Written during the author's service as an army chaplain, 1777-78.

COLUMBIA, Columbia, to glory arise,

The queen of the world, and the child of
the skies;

Thy genius commands thee; with rapture
behold,

While ages on ages thy splendor unfold!
Thy reign is the last, and the noblest of time,
Most fruitful thy soil, most inviting thy clime;
Let the crimes of the east ne'er encrimson thy

name,

Be freedom, and science, and virtue thy fame.

To conquest and slaughter let Europe aspire;
Whelm nations in blood, and wrap cities in fire;
Thy heroes the rights of mankind shall defend,
And triumph pursue them, and glory attend;
A world is thy realm: for a world be thy laws,
Enlarged as thine empire, and just as thy cause;
On Freedom's broad basis, that empire shall rise,
Extend with the main, and dissolve with the

skies.

Fair science her gates to thy sons shall unbar, And the east see the morn hide the beams of

her star.

New bards, and new sages, unrivalled shall soar
To fame unextinguished, when time is no more;
To thee, the last refuge of virtue designed,
Shall fly from all nations the best of mankind;
Here, grateful to heaven, with transport shall

bring

Their incense, more fragrant than odors of spring.

Nor less shall thy fair ones to glory ascend,
And genius and beauty in harmony blend;
The graces of form shall awake pure desire,
And the charms of the soul ever cherish the fire;
Their sweetness unmingled, their manners

refined,

And virtue's bright image, instamped on the mind, With peace and soft rapture shall teach life to

glow,

And light up a smile in the aspect of woe.

Thy fleets to all regions thy power shall display,
The nations admire and the ocean obey;

Each shore to thy glory its tribute unfold,
And the east and the south yield their spices.

and gold.

COLUMBIA.

As the day-spring unbounded, thy splendor shall flow,

And earth's little kingdoms before thee shall bow; While the ensigns of union, in triumph unfurled, Hush the tumult of war and give peace to the world.

Thus, as down a lone valley, with cedars o'erspread,

From war's dread confusion I pensively strayed, The gloom from the face of fair heaven retired; The winds ceased to murmur; the thunders

expired;

Perfumes as of Eden flowed sweetly along, And a voice as of angels enchantingly sung : "Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise,

The queen of the world, and the child of the

skies."

Timothy Dwight.

Song of Marion's Men.

UR band is few, but true and tried,

OUR

Our leader frank and bold;

The British soldier trembles

When Marion's name is told.
Our fortress is the good greenwood,

Our tent the cypress-tree;
We know the forest round us,

As seamen know the sea;
We know its walls of thorny vines,
Its glades of reedy grass,
Its safe and silent islands

Within the dark morass.

Woe to the English soldiery
That little dread us near!
On them shall light at midnight
A strange and sudden fear;
When, waking to their tents on fire,
They grasp their arms in vain,
And they who stand to face us
Are beat to earth again;
And they who fly in terror deem
A mighty host behind,

SONG OF MARION'S MEN.

And hear the tramp of thousands
Upon the hollow wind.

Then sweet the hour that brings release

From danger and from toil;

We talk the battle over,

And share the battle's spoil.

The woodland rings with laugh and shout,

As if a hunt were up,

And woodland flowers are gathered

To crown the soldier's cup.
With merry songs we mock the wind
That in the pine-top grieves,

And slumber long and sweetly

On beds of oaken leaves.

Well knows the fair and friendly moon The band that Marion leads,

The glitter of their rifles,

The scampering of their steeds. 'Tis life to guide the fiery barb Across the moonlight plain; 'Tis life to feel the night wind That lifts his tossing mane. A moment in the British camp, — and away

A moment,