Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-11-30
PROFESSOR EvERETr's GRAFTON.

NO. i-.'SCh LiN LINZ . UNA loN.
The following is short extract from the Ora
ton delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa
Society of Harvard University, in Massachu-
sets, 1T which Gen. La Fayette was present.
Yes my friends, such is the exhor-
tation which calls on us to exert our
powers, to employ our time, and conse-
crate eur labors in the cause Of our ma
tive land. When we engage in that So
! lemD study, the history Of our race, when
we survey the progress of man, from
his cradle in the East to these last limits
OF his wandering when we behold him
forever flying westward from civil and
religious thraidom, bearing his house
hold gods over mountains and seas, seek
ing rest and finding none, but still pur-
suing the flying bow of promise, To the
giiitering hills which it spans in Hespe-
Ran cilmes, we cannot but exciaim with
Bishop Berkeley, the generous prelate of
Eng land, who bestowed his benefactions,
as we'll as blessings, on our country,
Westward the Star Of Empire takes its way:
The four first acts already past,
The fifth shall close the drama with the day ;
hho . HouiSsl oiSI)rlhS ID Lie iaSl
6 In tina, high romance, if romance it
be, 10 which the great minds OF antlQul
lty sketched the fortunes OF the ages 10
| come, they pictured to themselves a ia
yored region beyond the ocean, land
Of equal laws and happy men. The prl-
mitive poets behed it in The islands of
he blest; the Doric bards surveyed il
in the Hyperborean regions The sage OF
the academy placed il in the lost Atlantis ::
and even the s,erner spirit OF Seneca
icould discern fairer abode OF humanity,
II distant regions then unknown. We
| look back upon these uninspircd predc-
tions, and almost recoll from the obhga-
| t.ons they imply. By US must these
far visions be realized, by US must be
fulfilled these high auspices, which burst
IN tryin s-hours from the longing hearts,
from the champions of truth. There
are no more continents or worlds to be
revealed; Atlantis hath arisen from the
ocean, the farthest Thule is reached,
there are no more retreats beyond the
sea, no more discoveries, no more hopes.
Here then mighty work is to be fulfill
ed, or never, by the race of mortals.
The man, who looks with tenderness on
The. suAerings Of good men in other times;
the descendant of the pilgrims, who che
rishes the memory of his fathers the
patriot, who feels an honest glow at the
majesty OF the system OF which he is
member; the scholar, who behods with
rapture the long sealed book of unpre-
JUDGED truth expanded 10 all TO read
these are they, by whom these auspices
are to be accomplished. Yes, brethren,
II Is by the intellect OF the country, that
the mighty mass is to be inspired; that
It's parts arc to communicate aud sympa-
thlze, Its bright progress to be adorned
with becoming rSfnements, IT'S strong
sense uttered, its character reflected, lis
feelings interpreted to its own children, 1
to other regions, and to after ages. I
!" Meantime the years are passing
away and gathering importance in their
course. With the present year will be
completed the half century from that
most important era in human history, /
the commencement OF our revolutionary
war. The jubilee Of our national exis-
tence is at hand. The space Of time
that has elapsed from that momentous 1