Ausonian cities interchange and spread The lights of learning on the wings of trade; Bologna's student walls arise to fame, Germania, thine their rival honors claim; Halle, Gottinge, Upsal, Kiel and Leyden smile, Oxonia, Cambridge cheer Britannia's isle; Where, like her lark, gay Chaucer leads the lay, The matin carol of his country's day. Blind War himself, that erst opposed all good, And whelm'd meek Science in her votaries' blood, Now smooths, by means unseen, her modest way, Extends her limits and secures her sway. From Europe's world his mad crusaders pour Their banded myriads on the Asian shore; The mystic Cross, thro famine toil and blood, Leads their long marches to the tomb of God. Thro realms of industry their passage lies, And labor'd affluence feasts their curious eyes; Till fields of slaughter whelm the broken host, Their pride appall'd, their warmest zealots lost, The wise remains to their own shores return, Transplant all arts that Hagar's race adorn, Learn from long intercourse their mutual ties, And find in commerce where their interest lies. From Drave's long course to Biscay's bending shores, Where Adria sleeps, to where the Bothnian roars, In one great Hanse, for earth's whole trafic known, Free cities rise, and in their golden zone Bind all the interior states; nor princes dare Infringe their franchise with voracious war. All shield them safe, and joy to share the gain That spreads o'er land from each surrounding main, Makes Indian stuffs, Arabian gums their own, Plants Persian gems on every Celtic crown, Pours thro their opening woodlands milder day, And gives to genius his expansive play. This blessed moment, from the towers of Thorn New splendor rises; there the sage is born! The sage who starts these planetary spheres, Deals out their task to wind their own bright years, Restores his station to the parent Sun, And leads his duteous daughters round his throne. Each mounts obedient on her wheels of fire, Whirls round her sisters, and salutes the sire, Guides her new car, her youthful coursers tries, Curves careful paths along her alter'd skies, Learns all her mazes thro the host of even, And hails and joins the harmony of heaven. --Fear not, Copernicus! let loose the rein, Launch from their goals, and mark the moving train; Fix at their sun thy calculating eye, Compare and count their courses round their sky. Fear no disaster from the slanting force That warps them staggering in elliptic course; Thy sons with steadier ken shall aid the search, And firm and fashion their majestic march, Kepler prescribe the laws no stars can shun, And Newton tie them to the eternal sun.