"Breathes there a man, with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, And doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust from whence he sprung, It was here that our eyes first opened upon the light of heaven; it was among these valleys that our boyhood wandered. These hills echoed the voices of our buoyant, fresh-springing youth; these streams rippled the music of our dawning life; this soil still nourishes the most of our living kindred, and embraces, in its hallowed bosom, the bones of our departed fathers. We thank you, that you have called us back once more, and upon this marked era of time, to look upon the moss-grown monuments, which tell their graves. We thank you for this opportunity of exchanging welcome and congratulation, and all kind, sociable wishes, with all our early friends and kindred. ODES FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AT SALISBURY, CONNECTICUT, OCTOBER 20, 1841. PREPARED BY REV. JONATHAN LEE. EMIGRANTS. "Land of our fathers! wheresoe'er we roam, CITIZENS. Dear brethren, home-born! welcome to these seats; Bright shine our lakes, still-beauteous are our hills— EMIGRANTS. "Though other climes may brighter hopes fulfill, Land of our birth! we ever love thee still; Heaven shield our happy homes from each hostile band, CITIZENS. Come to our fire-sides, where, long years ago, CHORUS. "All then inviting, hearts and voices joining, BY REV. JONATHAN LEE. Where erst the red man twang'd his bow, Where brooding darkness lay, A Pilgrim band, our fathers came, These lovely scenes their toils proclaim, In darkness lay the unwrought oar, It bade the fiery cannon roar, And made our land rejoice; Then Peace spread forth her golden wing, Where we, their sons, abide. Our fathers' God, thy name we praise, For thou, in peril's hour, Heardst when they knelt their prayers to raise, And sought thy guardian power: Praise for this goodly heritage, By them so dearly bought, And may our sons, from age to age, Preserve it as they ought. Let Science here ne'er cease to shine; Let Truth and Righteousness combine, BY CHURCHILL COFFING, ESQ. Written for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Settlement of the town of Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, October 20th, 1841. Marsailles Hymn. Sons of the Pilgrims, hear the story, CHORUS. For truth, for truth they came, For truth their toils were borne ; They came, they came, their hearts resolv'd On liberty or death. On them high rose a rock-bound shore, Yet o'er them with his spirit cheering, CHORUS. They saw, they saw his form, Before them fled the Indian wild, CHORUS. For truth, for truth they came, For truth their toils were borne ; BY CHURCHILL COFFING, ESQ. Almighty God! at whose behest, The rolling years their cycles run; Whose presence through all time confest; Eternal and unchanging One! Our fathers' God! at whose command The Pilgrims sought New England's shore, Contented, on its barren strand, Thy name to worship and adore; |