Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-24

time in q new country, ana tne plOhlse
of future greatness was the incentive TO
writing Of the poem, which Is, indeed.
wonderful prophecy.
VERSES.
The muse. disguised at an age and cline,
Barren OF every glorious theme,
In distant lands now waits better time,
Producing subjects worthy fame.
In happy cllmes where from the genial
sun
And virgin earth such scenes ensue,
The force Of art by nature seems outdone,
And fancied beauties by the true.
In happy climes the seat Of Innocence,
Where nature guides and virtue rules,
Where men shall not impose for truth
and sense
The dedantry Of courts and schools:
Then shall be sung another golden age
The rise OF empire and of arts,
The good and great imposing epic rage
The wisest heads and noblest hearts.
Not such as Europe breeds in her decay;
such as she bred when fresh and young,
When heavenly fame did animate her
clay
By future poets shall be sung.
Westward the course Of empire takes its
way.
The first four acts already past,
A NTH shall close the drama with the
day;
Az Bishop Berkely died before the ac-
cession Of George Ill, in England, and
before our French and Indian war, in
1850 and before our Revolutionary war
he was not privileged to see much TO
assure him OF the future greatness OF
orr country. He must, therefore, have
mainly Judged by the past, have gone
back 10 ancient times, for his prophecy
has been. and is being. fulfilled, and al
WAYS westward the course Of empire
takes its way.
One cannot but wonder what difference
would have been made in his prophecy
could he have foreseen that the Colonies
would throw Off the British yoke and es-
tabllsh their independence; and, 10 so
farther. It may be that his marvellous
intuition had foreseen, what would be
treason TO uttm-that America would
rise 10 greatness only after her struggle
and success in freeing herself from Eng
land.
II with him we look back TO ancient
times. we see that Abraham, 1,@l years
before Christ. left his native country
and went west. and settled in Canaan,
and took his knowledge OF the true COD
with him. and ms descendants became
a powerful nation under Solomon.
Assyria, the Oldest OF nations, continued
alone about 100 years; then It conquered
the Babylonians. living west of It, and
became a mighty empire.
Next, the Persians. under Cyrus. con-
quered Babylon, still moving westerly.
The Persians attempted to conquer the
Greeks. stu further west, but did not
succeed, and Greece rose to great pros
perity and military glory. When the
Huns and Coths besleged Rome, they had
come from the Caspian Sea, and con-
tinued their conquest into Spain. The
Arabs or Saracens starting from Arabia,
raised a powerful empire, including Per-
STA, Syria. Egypt, North Africa, and
Spain When the Roman empire was
broken up France, England, and Spain,
further west. sprang into an empire
Chrisrs charge to His disciples was 10
go into all the world. and preach the
Gospel 10 every creature, but we read
that their direction was mainly west.
west. re passed through Asia Minor,
crossed over 10 European Turkey, and
finally reached Rome as a prisoner. lie
had intended going TO Spain, yet farther
west, but we do not know that he did.
The Jews scattered over the whole world,
travelled as a rule TO the west.
The Atlantic Ocean did not stop the
westward movement. The Colonies plant
ed in America have become great ma
tion. have spread across the Continent
and arc carrying civilization and religion
10 China and Japan, and the isles OF the
Pacific, so that the West has overlapped
tho East. The extent, power and great
ness or our country, its discoveries, and
inventions are known TO all.
In regard 20 Bishop Berkely's poem
"the first four acts already past" nc
doubt alludes 10 those four monarchles
The first. Assyria and Babylonia; the Sc
cond, Persia and Media; the third, the
Grecian Empire; the fourth, the Roman
Empire; America, the fifth, shall close
the drama OF the day" that IS, VIII en-
dure 10 the end Of time, and thus: "Itme s
nOblest offspring is the last"
In studying the poem one cannot but be
convinced that DR.. Berkely had foreseen
that America would constitute another
golden age, when goodness and greatness
would prevail; that heroes like our Wash
ington would INSPIRE epic rage" or, IN
other words, be the theme Of poets and
historians.
Perhaps, too. he had reference to the
prevalence OF Christianity, or the building
I'D Of Christ's kingdom here, and the pro-
phecy has been, and is being, fulfilled FOL
the march OF conquest Of civilization, and
Of religion is ever westward.