Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-11-01
TO HON. PHILIP S. WHITE, P. M. W. P.

AAO4Ns 4AAAAAA ~ UAAA4A9 4 . A'
OF THE SoNs OF TEMPERANCE in North
America, these lines are addressed, asa slight
testimonial of high consideration for his dis
tinguished talents and virtues, by G. NJ. E.
Oh, had l the thought of an angel Of light,
And words to express my emotions Alright,
Or had ] the fancy of angels above,
And a heart gushing Ger with their perfected
love,
To thee-nobIe chief of humanity's cause,
From the harp Of my muse l would sweep the
applause
Of honor to thee-thou ennobled and true
The friend of the many as well as the few.
] would not attempt to engarland thy brow
With a wreath of that fame that e~ncircles it now;
/ would not attempt to applaud thy appeals,
Meath whose thunders the multitude trembles
and reels;
! would not attempt to portray in my song,
The paths Of the thought thou dost traverse
along;
/ would not attempt to embeIlish the light
Of the eagle-like swoops of thy fancy in fight
/ would not attempt, in poetical strain,
To picture thy graceful and eloquent mien;
No! high up in HedUen my fancy would fee
To Irvine in its bOaOers a garland for thee.
The myrtle-the emblem of love that's divine,
And the lily of purity-these it would Irvine
A varoncia-the type of fidelity rare,
1t would weave with the twain In a chaplet SC
fair;
Then winging its flight from those heavenly
bowers,
It would circle thy brow with these three simple
flowers.
The love that illum'd a Napoleon's dark breast
To conquer the world that his spirit might rest
To dye the green sod with the blood of the slain
To wiring from the innocent sorrow and pain
To drench the dry earth with the tears Of the
world,
And shadow it Ger with his banner unfurled-
Infames not thy bosom-nol nought such as this
For the love in thy heart has a halo Of bliss.
'Tis a love, not for SELF, nor aught that Is thine
But q love for humanity truly divine.
As the rainbow the earth and the sea doth EN-
brace,
With its brow on the sky, and a smile on It's face
So thou dost e~ncircle mankind with thy love,
And lean on the breast of thy Saviour above,
While a bright, beaming smile doth illumin
; thy heart,
For lore 10 mankind doth ssreet pIeasure Impair
/ have heard thee in lofty, maiestical thought
The emotions that flashed from thine eye hay
caught:
/ have seen in thy nature such passion an
truth,
, Though stricken by age, yet / thought thee
youth;
l For pureness of spirit and motives as true,
/, Are oftener seen when the years are but few,
1 But a love for humanity alone Is not thine,
Though purity clothes it with beauty divine ;
Fidelity cords with an adamant chain
: Thy life to a labor that mitigates pain
: Oh, noblest, indeed, is that mighty resolve
q To bury up vice, and true virtue evolve,
Though a lifetime of toll the oblation may b
And opulent pleasures the spirit must fee!
: Then receive, noble chief of humanity's caus
o A strangers well-wish, and christians applau
Whereier in the confines of vice thou shalt b
Believe that his prayers are offered for thee.
And soon may thy banner Of Temperance va
DER
The land of Columbia, from shore unto shorI
And may the broad folds Of its triumph o'e
'e spread
Every cline Of the earth where mans footste
K may tread
Of It'll the vilest Of sins shall have fed the e
earth,
To the darkness of hell that had given il Dir
EMORY and Henry College, Sept. %, 1850.