Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/56

 40 THOMAS PEIRCE. [1820-30. Then learned Eschylus, warm with patriot fire, Touched with bold hand the Drama's slum- bering lyre, Avenged inveterate faults with satire's dart, Or laughed a thousand foibles from the heart. Then soft Euripides, skilled to control The kindest, gentlest feelings of the soul, O'er his bright pages deep enchantment threw, And floods of tears from pity's fountain drew. When all her glory gone, in evil hour Greece bowed submissive to superior power ; The wandering Drama found a friend and home In bounteous Cassar and triumphant Rome. As moved by love or pity, scorn or rage, Guilt, pride or folly, Roscius trod the stage ; His mimic power surrounding thousands praised. And e'en great Tully lauded as he gazed. When the long reign of Gothic midnight pass'd. Wit, taste and science blessed the world at last ; To Albion's shores the scenic Muses flew. And o'er her youthful bards their mantles threw. Then Shakspeare rose, in truth and vir- tue's cause. Revived the Drama, and reformed its laws, Portrayed the airy forms of fancy's dreams, And spread o'er life's rude scenes her bright- est beams. Then Garrick moved, the Roscius of the age, And learning quit the forum for the stage. Then Siddons bade the tears of pity start, And Kemble thrilled each fiber of the heart. When on the rights of man curs'd ty- rants trod, And stepp'd between his conscience and his God; Fettered with rules of faith the free-born soul. And bade the million bow to their control ; Or, flushed with savage pride, beheld ex- pire A host of martyrs on the funeral pyre ; The exiled drama quits the scene of blood, And, following Freedom o'er the Atlantic flood. Reared with a skill and taste unknown be- fore. Her fanes and altars on Columbia's shore. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Knowledge is power. — In days of old Archimedes, the learned and bold. Who rude barbaric nations taught The lore with which his mind was fraught, Threw to one point the rays of hght Reflected by his mirrors bright. Rome's mighty fleet in flames arose, Fked by the science of her foes : A crazy vessel scarcely bore Marcellus from the hostile shore ; While smiling peace resumed again O'er Syracuse her wonted reign. Knowledge is power. — From age to age The bolts of heaven, with deadly rage. Marked their red paths from cloud to cloud. Alarmed the skies with thunders loud. O'er earth's vast surface wmged their course. And mortals trembled at their force ; Towns, temples, navies, catch the fire. And in the quenchless flames expire. Franklin — whose penetrating eye Could Nature's darkest secrets spy ; Whose mind could compass all her laws, And from the effect deduce the cause —