Hymns For Dedication XI

Knowledge and Virtue! sister powers,
Who guard and grace a Christian state,
Better than bulwarks, walls, or towers,
To you this hall we dedicate.


Temple of Science! through thy door,
Now first thrown open, do we throng,
And reverently stand before
Creation's God, with prayer and song.


Father of lights! thou gav'st us eyes
Earth, ocean, sun, and stars to see,
And thee in all;--they roll or rise
To teach us of thy majesty.


Works of his hand! where'er ye lie,
In earth or heaven, in light or shade,
These walls shall to your voice reply;
Here shall your wonders be displayed.


Trees! that in field or forest stand,
Flowers! that spring up in every zone,
Winds! that with fragrance fill your hand,
Where trees have leafed, or flowers have blown,--


Suns! in the depths of space that burn,
Planets! that walk around our own,
Comets! that rush to fill your urn
With light out-gushing from his throne,--


Waters! from all the earth that rise,
And back to all its oceans go,
Cooling, in clouds, the flaming skies,
Cheering, in rains, the world below,--


Torrents! that down the mountain rush,
Glaciers! that on its shoulders shine,
Pearls! in your ocean bed that blush,
Diamonds! yet sleeping in your mine,--


Lightnings! that from your cloud leap out,
Thunders! that in its bosom sleep,
Fires! that from Etna's crater spout,
Rocks! that the earthquake's records keep,--


Rainbows! that over-arch a storm,
Or dance around a waterfall,
Tornadoes! that earth's face deform,--
Teach us, O teach us, in this hall.