When, nigh ador'd, too great to need parade,
He through the States his pleasing progress made;
What gratulations pure the patriot met!

What cheeks with tears of gratitude were wet!
While useful knowledge from each State be gain'd,
Prais'd their improvements and their bliss explain'd;
While bridges, roads, canals, in every State,
And growing fabrics own'd his influence great;
Such goodness mark'd each act, in every place
He left impressions time can ne'er efface.

Then rose the favour'd States beneath his smile,
Adorn'd, enrich'd, and strengthen'd by his toil;
Then millions felt what happiness* ensued,
And hail'd their country's father great and good!

635

640

Their vote erst gave rewards for vict'ry just,
The storied medal† and the laurell'd bust:
But now he saw his fame in peace expand,
Grow with his years and reach each farthest land.

645

Though chiefly doom'd to light our nation's birth,
Our luminary rose to bless the earth.
His mind by human frailties scarcely stain'd,
One spotless course of rectitude maintain'd:
His mind, a moral sun, with cheering ray,
Rejoic'd to scatter intellectual day,

650

A light among the nations shining clear,

655

To gild the darkness in each hemisphere!

Say, dazzling conq'rors! who as comets glar'd,

How mean your splendour when to his compar'd!

Nor cold his mind. When cold his count'nance seem'd,
Within, concent'ring rays still brighter beam'd.

660

* See Letters I. II. and III. in the Appendix.

+ The medal voted by Congress to General Washington, in consequence of the evacuation of Boston by the British any as well as that to General Gates, for the Convention of Saratoga, and that to General Gregne, for the battle of Eutaw-Springs, were executed by the first artists at Paris, under the direction of the author of this Poem, who availed himself of the talents of the celebrated Abbe Barthelemy, and the Academy of Belles Lettres and Inscriptions, to assist in furnishing the devices and inscriptions.

The statue voted by Congress to the Commander in Chief of the American armies, at the close of the war, is to be placed at the seat of government. The State society of the Cincinnati in New-York, in concurrence with their fellow citizens, are engaged in procuring an equestrian statue of General Washington, in Bronze, to be erected in the Park of that eity; an example which will probably be followed by many of the principal towns in the United States,

Such moderation with such firmness mix'd,
Just in the golden mean his conduct fix'd;
Alike with feeling, as with patience, blest,
The proud oppressor and the poor opprest
He taught, that man full oft by man betray'd,
By heav'n for social happiness was made-
He taught, how long a nation wrongs may bear,
And when th' unknown of innovation dare-

665

He taught mankind (if truth can make them wise)

That for self-government their pow'rs suffice.

670

Then duty's task and glory's toils complete,

He sought fair Vernon's shades, his fond retreat!

From stormy care to calm content retir'd,
Consol'd by conscience and by men admir'd;
He, like the sun whose broader orb at ev'n
Sheds brighter glories from the verge of heav'n,
The clouds his heat had rais'd in rainbows drest,
Descended great and glorious to the west.

675

Ev'n then his country heard o'er ocean far,
The coming sounds of predatory war:
Again her voice his martial service claims,
Oh! best of heroes! best of patriot names!
Thy last obedience crowns thy precious life.
"But who shall lead us to the glorious strife?"
Exclaim our mourning bands, as o'er thy bier
They bend, and bathe it with a frequent tear.
Fear not-his spirit, still the soldier's friend,
Shall in your front on some brave chief descend;
And 'mid the thunder of the war inspire
In every breast a spark of heav'n's own fire.

Thus pass'd his useful life, by foes approv'd,
By nations honour'd, and by heav'n belov'd.
Yet blushing truth must tell with deep regret,
What opposition from a few he met;
While conscious virtue, on his visage laught
At slander's quiver, and defied the shaft.*
No vulgar mark appear'd his brilliant fame-
O'er him fell slander hung with foulest aim.

630

685

690

695

*See Letter IV. in the Appendix.

No more that fiend of malice, madd'ning stands;
No more the monster lifts briarean hands,
Shakes all his shafts, and, steep'd in venom, flings
At him invulnerable, poison'd stings-

Since virtue's sons have dash'd those shafts accurst,
And spurn'd the monster foaming in the dust.

When late he bade to public life adieu, Supernal visions opening on his view;

700

705

Ye heard the last advice your guardian gave,

Ye heard his words when bord'ring on the grave:-
What truths experience taught you from his tongue,
When in your ears such awful warnings rung?

710

"To follow virtue never, never cease,
Her path is pleasant, and its end is peace:
Oh, cultivate blest union, but on this
Relies your freedom, independence, bliss.
Who sees a foreign policy prevail,

715

Must see thy promis'd bliss, Columbia! fail;
Must see thy goodly heritage, that day,
The prize of factions or of war the prey."
What MORTAL truths more sacred spake of old,
Inspir'd by heav'n!-The words are grav'd in gold.

720

Then say what chief has nobler trophies won? What godlike patriot deeds more glorious done? Who more the secret foes of union foil'd?

For independence more successful toil'd?

To love our country more the mind prepar❜d?

725

'Gainst foreign influence plac'd a stronger guard? In education* form'd a wiser plan,

To guard inviolate the rights of man?

Who better could our path to bliss explore?

And whose whole life has honour'd virtue more?

730

What other sage, by equal ardour warm'd,
Such signal service for mankind perform'd?-

Wide as the world shall spread his deathless fame,

While boundless generations bless the name,

In bright example shown. Ye good! ye brave!
Come learn with him to triumph o'er the grave.

735

*See General Washington's will, in which he treats of a national university and a na tional education,

Cheer'd by that lore not Greece or Rome could teach,

That lore divine beyond our reason's reach;

Bid comfort come (ere grief prevail too long)
And exultation join the seraph song,

While spirits of the just made perfect sing,

"Where is thy vict'ry, grave! where, death! thy sting?"

On him death's hovering dart could strike no dread,

Or in the battle-field or sickness-bed:

For there I saw him far too great for fear,

Still greater grow as danger drew more near.

How fond and vain th' anticipation sweet,

Beneath thy friendly shades once more to meet!*
Oh, best of friends! still had I hop❜d to view
Thy face once more, and all my joys renew.

740

745

750

But heav'n those joys, too perfect, turn'd to pains,
And one sad duty only now remains,

That I, while yet thy widow'd mate survive,

That comfort which I want, should strive to give,

Thou, long his solace, in this vale of tears, Wife of his youth! his joy twice twenty years! Though all this empty world can give or take, On thy lorn heart can small sensation make;

755

Though not the trophied tomb can sooth thy grief,
Or well-earn'd praise can give thy pangs relief:

760

Yet see whence higher consolations flow,

And dry at length th' unceasing tear of woe.

Where his freed spirit tastes the bliss above,

Unfailing feast, beatitude and love!

Soon shalt thou meet him on th' immortal coast,

765

And all thy grief in ecstacy be lost,

A few more times th' expanded moon shall rise,

And walk in brightness up the eastern skies;

With varying face diffuse her waning beams,

And cast on earth her chill and watery gleams;

770

A few more times the ruddy sun shall lave,
And dip his dim orb in the western wave;
Ere yet our spirits try their heav'n-ward flight,
From these dull regions of surrounding night;

*See Letters IV. and V. in the Appendix.

Ere for the present race the scene be o'er,
Death sweep the stage and time shall be no more.

775

What though ere yet a few short years revolve,
This earthly tabernacle must dissolve-
What though the flesh, abandon'd, rest in dust-

-Sweet is the memory of the good and just.

780

Then shall (unfetter'd from the pris'ning tomb)

This mortal immortality assume;

The better part to brighter mansions fly,

Mansions, not made with hands, eternal in the sky!

785

Then shall we rest forlorn beyond relief,
Dumb in despair and stupified with grief?
To drear forgetfulness consign our friends,
And lose the hope " that being never ends?"
That prop imperishable prone on earth,
The spring of action and reward of worth!
What! shall we faint? nor give to faith its scope?
Shall we remain as mourners without hope?

790

And shall not hope celestial sooth these sighs?

Are there not crowns and triumphs in the skies?

Think ye, now fate has cut the vital thread,

795

Th' immortal Washington is wholly dead?
Though cold in clay the mortal members lie,

Mounts not th' immortal mind to worlds on high?

Ev'n that lost form shall rise from kindred dust,

Fair in the renovation of the just.

800

From conflagrated orbs in atoms hurl'd,

Anon shall spring a renovated world—

That world, for suff'ring man, of bright rewards,

Thus fir'd the song of heav'n-illumin'd bards.

"Let all creation fail," the prophets sung,

805

While holy rapture trembled on their tongue;

"Let rocks dissolve, seas roar, and mountains nod,

And all things tremble to the throne of God-
Matter and motion cease from nature's course,
Her laws controul'd by some superior force-
To final ruin, stars and comets rush,

810

Suns suns consume and systems systems crush—-
These heav'ns stretch'd visible, together roll
Inflam'd, and vanish like a burning scroll—