Now had Columbus well enjoy'd the sight Of armies vanquisht and of fleets in flight, From all Hesperia's heaven the darkness flown, And colon crowds to sovereign sages grown. To cast new glories o'er the changing clime, The guardian Power reversed the flight of time, Roll'd back the years that led their course before, Stretch'd out immense the wild uncultured shore; Then shifts the total scene, and rears to view Arts and the men that useful arts pursue. As o'er the canvass when the painter's mind Glows with a future landscape well design'd, While Panorama's wondrous aid he calls, To crowd whole realms within his circling walls, Lakes, fields and forests, ports and navies rise, A new creation to his kindling eyes; He smiles o'er all; sand in delightful strife The pencil moves and Calls the whole to life. So while Columbia's patriarch stood sublime, And saw rude nature clothe the trackless clime; The green banks heave, the winding currents pour, The bays and harbors cleave the yielding shore, The champaigns spread, the solemn groves arise, And the rough mountains lengthen round the skies; Thro all their bounds he traced, with skilful ken, The unform'd seats and future walks of men; Mark'd where the field should bloom, the pennon play, Great cities grow and empires claim their sway; When, sudden waked by Hesper's waving hand, They rose obedient round the cultured land. In western tracts, where still the wildmen tread, From sea to sea an inland commerce spread; On the dim streams and thro the gloomy grove The trading bauds their cumbrous burdens move; Furs, peltry, drugs, and all the native store Of midland realms descended to the shore. Where summer suns, along the northern coast, With feeble force dissolve the chains of frost, Prolific waves the scaly nations trace, And tempt the toils of man's laborious race. Tho rich Brazilian strands, beneath the tide, Their shells of pearl and sparkling pebbles hide, While for the gaudy prize a venturous train Plunge the dark deep and brave the surging main, Drag forth the shining gewgaws into air, To stud a sceptre or emblaze a star; Far wealthier stores these genial tides display, And works less dangerous with their spoils repay. The Hero saw the hardy crews advance, Cast the long line and aim the barbed lance; Load the deep floating barks, and bear abroad To every land the life-sustaining food; Renascent swarms by nature's care supplied, Repeople still the shoals and fin the fruitful tide.