ODE ΤΟ LIBERT Y.

BY MR. HUDSON.

THE fable queen of fhades retires,
Encircled with her fading fires

Yok'd to her iron car, the dragons fly,
With flow wing black'ning many a league of sky.

Go, melancholy goddess; go,

Nurse of defpondency and woe.

'Tis time; the cock's fhrill clarion calls

The dawn, and ftrikes the prowling wolf with fear,
And bids the phantoms disappear,

That glimmer 'midft yon mould'ring walls:

They ftartle at the found,

And gliding o'er the tracklefs ground,

Loth, to their marble mansions hafte away.
No more their livid lightnings play;
The terrors of aërial tumults ceafe,
Hufh'd to ferenity and fmiling peace.

For, lo! in heav'n's ambrosial bow'rs,
Wak'd by the ftationary hours,
Parent of day, the morn unveils her eyes,
And vermil blushes ftreak the orient skies:
How Nature triumphs at the fight,
Renew'd in all her beauty bright!

Her fragrant groves their incenfe yield;
The zephyrs, from her humid ftores, diffuse

The sweetness of mellifluous dews;

And pleasure paints the lilied field.
Here, gilt with fplendid rays,
The fpires and lofty turrets blaze ;
There the canals reflect a pleafing gleam;
While dancing down the pebbly stream,

The filver radiance chears the feather'd throng, Woods, hills, and dales, re-echo with their fong.

Thus, like the morn, will faireft Freedom come,
In majefty divine,

With dawning glory to difperfe the gloom
Of dire Oppreffion; and illume the mind,
To darkness and defpondency confin’d.
Arife, O Liberty! 'tis thine,

The charms of Nature to refine;

With blooming hope and harmony to please,
To crown with plenty, and to blefs with eafe;
To light up awful Virtue's living ray,
And pour the flood of intellectual day.

Place me in Africk's defart lands,
Where Thirft fits gaping on the fands;
If there aufpicious Freedom fix her feat,
'Midft burning blafts, I'll hail the rude retreat;
Soon fhall the wild, more polish'd grown,
Admire new beauties, not her own:
Sage Industry hall dig the well

Capacious, yawning many a fathom deep;
While lowing herds, and bleating sheep,
Stand frequent in the cooling cell.
Soon fhall the mantling vine
Be taught around the palm to twine;
And focial arts the ftranger Naïads wake,
That fleep beneath the diftant lake,
Curious to view young Commerce gaily roam,
And bring full harvests to his barren home.

Place me beneath the gelid zone,
Near winter's adamantine throne,
Where fartheft ocean foams with icy roar,
Along the bleak, inhofpitable fhore:

If Freedom to the fmoky dome

With fur-cloath'd mortals deign to roam;
Thro' fnowy waftes the dome I'll feek;
What hinders to enjoy the freezing year!
For Property will there appear;
And chearful Health, with rofy cheek,
Pursue the panting prey ;.

Or, mindful of the lengthen'd day,
Sit chaunting on the mountain's chrystal brow,
Where hanging torrents fhine below;
Nor will Cimmerian Sleep forget to bring
Safe flumbers, waving at his downy wing.

Come then, Celestial, let thy wish'd return
This happier clime ferene;

This happier clime, if Rome thy abfence mourn,
No more with fmiles of pleasure entertains,
Nor Baia's groves, nor rich Campania's plains:
Heartless we view the fplendid scene

Of turrets, and the painted green;
Heartless the mufick of the groves we hear,

As when, new harness'd out by Wrath and Fear,
Night's chariot moves in ftorms; and thunders hurl'd,
Roll their broad terrors round the groaning world.

ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ACQUAINTANCE, WHICH

COMMENCED AT QUEBEC, OCTOBER 7, 1768.

T

O thee, my Digby, I devote my lay;

To thee, or Friendship, equal would I fing:
Reflecting Memory, faithful to this day,

Shall ne'er forget to touch th' harmonious ftring.

This day, for ever facred, ever dear!

This day did Heav'n it's fairest boon bestow→ A Friend!-Thy gracious kindness I revere, And thank thee for the gift, in weal or woe!

In weal or woe, how fure hath been it's aid;
My cares how foften'd, how my joys improv'd!
To foothe each murm'ring thought, how oft effay'd;
When ftern Misfortune frown'd, it's frown remov'd.

How form'd thy gentle bofom to controul

Each growing tempeft of th' impaffion'd breaft!
How oft it's influence on my mind hath stole,
And hush'd the raging tumults into reft!

Though many years have roll'd their periods round,
And a vaft ocean parts us from the scene
Where first fair Friendship's warmeft fmiles we found,
And beft affections hail'd her for their queen:

Yet Memory, ever faithful to our love,

With her foft hand hath drawn each rifing view; The fcenes which tendereft Friendship muft approve, Her traits ftill give in ev'ry picture true.

Recording Time, turn o'er each page with care,
Our history fince that period first begun;
When each affection claim'd'an equal share,
And fympathetick friendship made them one.

On each fair page our friendship stands fecure,
No change, no chance, but proves it's potent power;
Each growing period glows with love more pure,
And faith still firmer each advancing hour.

Through

Through ev'ry varying fcene which time hath given,

Her bright'ning influence beam'd it's rays around; From the pain'd breast each throbbing care hath driven, And chac'd defpair when loft in thought profound.

O Carter! could I reach thy polish'd verse,
On this delightful theme how fweet the lays!
My Digby's name each charming line should
grace,
To speak her truth and love in warmest praise.

Her well form'd mind, by Wisdom's influence blefs'd,`
Where mild Religion bears an equal part;
Where calm Experience foothes our cares to reft,
And virtues prove the goodness of her heart.

Her heart with tendereft fentiments doth glow,
And Sympathy's endearing powers are there,
To feel for others in their joy or woe,

And from the weeping eye to wipe the tear.

How blefs'd to know this gentle bofom mine,

By thofe foft ties which tendereft friendships prove!
Through all my mind the accents breathe divine,
And harmonize the paffions into love.

Hail, facred Friendship! hail, thou beft-lov'd name!
To thee will I devote my future days;

Since Truth and Time have fanctify'd the flame,
Can I do less than live to speak thy praise ?