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Say, shall the puny champion fondly dare
To wage with force like this scholastic war?
Still vainly scribble on with pert pretence,
With all the rage of pedant impotence ?
Say, shall I foster this domestic pest,

This parricide, that wounds a mother's breast?

Thus in some gallant ship, that long has bore Britain's victorious cross from shore to shore, By chance, beneath her close sequester'd cells Some low-born worm, a lurking mischief dwells; Eats his blind way, and saps with secret guile The deep foundations of the floating pile. In vain the forest lent its stateliest pride, Rear'd her tall mast, and fram'd her knotty side; The martial thunder's rage in vain she stood, With ev'ry conflict of the stormy flood; More sure the reptile's little arts devour Than wars, or waves, or Eurus' wint'ry pow'r.

Ye fretted pinnacles, ye fanes sublime,

Ye massy piles of old munificence,

At once the pride of learning and defence;

Ye cloisters pale, that length'ning to the sight
To contemplation, step by step, invite ;

Ye high-arch'd walks, where oft the whispers clear
Of harps unseen have swept the poet's ear;
Ye temples dim, where pious duty pays
Her holy hymns of ever-echoing praise;
Lo! your lov'd Isis, from the bord❜ring vale,
With all a mother's fondness bids you hail!-
Hail, Oxford, hail! of all that's good and great,
Of all that's fair, the guardian and the seat;
Nurse of each brave pursuit, each gen'rous aim,
By truth exalted to the throne of fame!
Like Greece in science and in liberty,
As Athens learn'd, as Lacedemon free!

Ev'n now, confess'd to my adoring eyes,
In awful ranks thy gifted sons arise.
Tuning to knightly tale his British reeds,
Thy genuine bards immortal Chaucer leads:

His hoary head o'erlooks the gazing quire,
And beams on all around celestial fire.
With graceful step see Addison advance,
The sweetest child of Attic elegance :
See Chillingworth the depths of doubt explore,
And Seldon ope the rolls of ancient lore:
To all but his belov'd embrace deny'd,
See Lock lead Reason, his majestic bride:
See Hammond pierce Religion's golden mine,
And spread the treasur'd stores of Truth divine.

All who to Albion gave the arts of peace, And best the labours plann'd of letter'd ease; Who taught with truth, or with persuasion mov'd; Who sooth'd with numbers, or with sense improv'd; Who rang'd the pow'rs of reason, or refin’d All that adorn'd or humaniz'd the mind; Each priest of health, that mix'd the balmy bowl, To rear frail man, and stay the fleeting soul; All crowd around, and echoing to the sky,

Ye massy piles of old munificence,

At once the pride of learning and defence;

Ye cloisters pale, that length'ning to the sight
To contemplation, step by step, invite;

Ye high-arch'd walks, where oft the whispers clear
Of harps unseen have swept the poet's ear;
Ye temples dim, where pious duty pays
Her holy hymns of ever-echoing praise;
Lo! your lov'd Isis, from the bord❜ring vale,
With all a mother's fondness bids you hail !—
Hail, Oxford, hail! of all that's good and great,
Of all that's fair, the guardian and the seat;
Nurse of each brave pursuit, each gen'rous aim,
By truth exalted to the throne of fame!
Like Greece in science and in liberty,
As Athens learn'd, as Lacedemon free!

Ev'n now, confess'd to my adoring eyes, In awful ranks thy gifted sons arise. Tuning to knightly tale his British reeds,

Thy genuine bards immortal Chaucer leads:

His hoary head o'erlooks the gazing quire,
And beams on all around celestial fire.

With graceful step see Addison advance,
The sweetest child of Attic elegance:

See Chillingworth the depths of doubt explore,
And Seldon ope the rolls of ancient lore:
To all but his belov'd embrace deny'd,
See Lock lead Reason, his majestic bride:
See Hammond pierce Religion's golden mine,
And spread the treasur'd stores of Truth divine,

All who to Albion gave the arts of peace, And best the labours plann'd of letter'd ease; Who taught with truth, or with persuasion mov'd; Who sooth'd with numbers, or with sense improv'd; Who rang'd the pow'rs of reason, or refin'd All that adorn'd or humaniz'd the mind; Each priest of health, that mix'd the balmy bowl, To rear frail man, and stay the fleeting soul; All crowd around, and echoing to the sky,

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