The Progress of Society: A Poem in Three Parts

Front Cover
D. Longworth, 1817 - American poetry - 63 pages

From inside the book

Selected pages

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 2 - District, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit : " THE CHILD'S BOTANY," In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, " An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned...
Page 2 - Congress of the United States, entitled "an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned." And also to an act entitled "an act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the...
Page 61 - ... emotion into language brought, And pour'd reciprocal upon the mind, Wake: deeper feeling, new, and more refin'd; Which operates again, to language wrought — Thus mighty eloquence shall lead mankind, And still herself by moral feeling (might, Awaken'd by her spell, bring all but truth to nought.
Page 61 - Is the wild troop on earth, once naked, gross and blind. Then who shall limit e'en his human flight ? Who mark the Rubicon of marching thought ? Of daring language, nature's utmost height ? Who tell what all united, will have wrought. On human hearts with smother'd instincts fraught, When many an age has added light to light ? Back shrinks the soul ! she feels her power is nought, If fancy dimly pour upon her sight, Her forms of life afar, indefinite, though bright.
Page 61 - Her forms of life afar, indefinite, though bright. Grant him progressive, and immortal too ! To what stupendous glory shall he climb, When time's cold hand shall wave her last adieu, When springs his spirit from her earthly clime, To heaven's high realm, on angel wing sublime, Where souls redecm'd with thought for ever new. And joy and hope in everlasting prime, Will lead him onward, kindred truths to vie -v And purer love to feel than ever mortal knew.
Page 60 - ... hath been, Shall they not teach her like themselves to smile On on all the landscape ; all the sheeted main — Shall they not pour some spell to reconcile,. To all the scenes around, full many a heart so vile ? Yes ! Time shall roll a distant period bright, When feeble language, vigorous, refin'd, Shall...
Page 57 - E'en by a glance, or smile, or tear, or sigh — Or have they met before.' or clianc'd design'd That each should kindred thought at once descry. By some strange spell unknown, of silent harmony. O well 'twas sung, that souls in pairs were made, And sent together to this dingy spot, And lost each other as they earthward stray'd — For oft they meet, and feel, they know not what.
Page 59 - Shall soar perchance to thought's bewildering height, And pour stupendous light upon the blind — Then shall be plain the mysteries of mind — Neglected virtue then shall claim her right — While to earth's rabble, lingering still behind, Thought in her robe of...
Page 54 - Tears drawn by gratitude, and not by sinBut vain — ah vain, were the attempt to show, What sinless mortal felt— what sinner cannot know. Yet now, though fallen, when the twilight beam Pours her soft lustre on his pensive eye — Does not revive some antenatal dream ? Does not the heart awake to harmony ? Does she not glow and soften ; melt and sigh, To wander homeward on the sun'slast stream!
Page 60 - Then shall be plain the mysteries of mind — Neglected virtue then shall claim her right — While to earth's rabble, lingering still behind, Thought in her robe of 6re shall flash her light, Till nature's bursting scorn shall wither lawless might.

Bibliographic information