[Editor: This poem by David Blair (1820-1899), about the Melbourne Exhibition of 1854, was published in The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), 17 October 1854.]
The Exhibition Ode.
Lo! the fabric as it rises
Stately, luminous, and grand,
Well the future symbolises
Of this fair Victorian land.
Let each voice, in chorus swelling,
Echo through the crystal dome;
“Enterprise here makes her dwelling;
Art and Science find their home.”
And their glorious inspiration
Shall, in this delightful clime,
Form and mould a noble nation,
Rich with all the spoils of Time.
Enterprise shall scale the mountains,
Dig the mine, the wild explore,
Bring to light the hidden fountains
Whence flow Wealth’s exhaustless store.
Science, wielding magic forces,
Still new marvels shall display;
And with limitless resources
Bend all nature to her sway.
Art shall lavish all the treasures
Garnered in her gorgeous shrine;
Winning men to nobler pleasures,
Making life almost divine.
Knowledge free, on each mind beaming,
Shall give light and strength to all,
Like the brilliant sunlight streaming
Through this lofty crystal hall.
And Religion, guiding angel!
Pointing to her Home above,
By her own benign evangel
Shall win every heart to love.
So thy greatness, famed Victoria!
Through all ages shall increase:
Thou shalt gain enduring glory
By the victories of Peace.
Let each voice, in chorus swelling,
Echo through the crystal dome:
“Enterprise here makes her dwelling,
Art and Science find their home.”
DAVID BLAIR.
October, 15th, 1854.
Source:
The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), 17 October 1854, p. 5
Editor’s notes:
clime = a place, region, or foreign land, particularly referred to with regard to its climate (usually used in the plural, e.g. “cooler climes”, “hot climes”, “lovely climes”, “Northern climes”, “other climes”, “Southern climes”, “sunny climes”, “warmer climes”)
David Blair = David Blair (1820-1899), clergyman, journalist, author, encyclopedist, poet, and politician; he was born in County Monaghan (Ireland) in 1820, came to Australia in 1850, and died in Armadale (Victoria) in 1899
See: 1) Jill Roe “Blair, David (1820–1899)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography
2) “David Blair (encyclopedist)”, Wikipedia
evangel = gospel; an important doctrine; good news; an evangelist (a preacher of the Christian gospel, or a zealous advocate of a cause)
shalt = (archaic) shall
thou = (archaic) you (regarding a person as the subject in a sentence)
thy = (archaic) your
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