Invocation to Music. with a Cursory Reference to General Washington

Immortal gift from heaven sent, To foster thee, is heav'ns intent, To shield thy innocence from ill, Columbia be thy guardian still. An infant whose celestial birth, Knows not maturity on earth. Extend abroad thy mistic pow'r, To harmonize each fleeting hour, And rule with universal sway, Till nations all thy call obey. As Orpheus charm'd the list'ning woods, With sounds more sweet attune the floods; While beasts enraptur'd cease to graze, Or hush'd in wonder, muse thy praise. The savage Moor with aukward joy, Will revel in thy chaste employ, Majestic when in voice of war, The brazen trumpets sound afar. All pensive too for love's alarms, The soldier leaves his clashing arms; How direful when in accent slow, The solemn dirge is taught to flow. Mourn, mourn, ye winds, and weep ye floods, And bow your heads ye tow'ring woods; He's gone!—his soul has fought it's way, To regions of eternal day; The object of the people's choice, Whose mem'ry's blest by gen'ral voice, Is tasting now immortal joys, Where no ill breath his peace destroys. Come soothing music, come and cheer, To brighter scenes the rising year, Let joy and peace revive again, And commerce plough the rolling main; Let sister arts join hand in hand, To tread Columbia's mazy land. Descend ye nine, our bards inspire, With music and poetic fire, Till sounds extatic ring the spheres, The glory of succeeding years.