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Books! sweet associates of the silent hour,
What blessed aspirations do I owe
To your companionship—your peaceful power
High and pure pleasure ever can bestow.—
Of noble ones I trace the path through life,
Joy in then-joys, and sorrow as they mourn;
Gaze on then- Christian, animating strife,
And shed fond tears o'er their untimely urn:
Or, with heroic beings tread the soil
Of a freed country, by themselves made free,
And taste the recompense of virtuous toil,
The exaltation of humanity.—
With Washington the battle-field I lead,
Or walk with Howard in the dungeon's gloom;
With Channing purify the bigot's creed,
And breathe the glories that are yet to come;
With Romilly a people's rights I guard,
And humanize the savage penal law,
And, of benevolence the high reward,
With him from purest, holiest founts I draw:
What blessed aspirations do I owe
To your companionship—your peaceful power
High and pure pleasure ever can bestow.—
Of noble ones I trace the path through life,
Joy in then-joys, and sorrow as they mourn;
Gaze on then- Christian, animating strife,
And shed fond tears o'er their untimely urn:
Or, with heroic beings tread the soil
Of a freed country, by themselves made free,
And taste the recompense of virtuous toil,
The exaltation of humanity.—
With Washington the battle-field I lead,
Or walk with Howard in the dungeon's gloom;
With Channing purify the bigot's creed,
And breathe the glories that are yet to come;
With Romilly a people's rights I guard,
And humanize the savage penal law,
And, of benevolence the high reward,
With him from purest, holiest founts I draw:
