106 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Somewhere within the walls of all, 



Shall all that forwards perfect human life be started, 



Tried, taught, advanced, visibly exhibited. 



Here shall you trace in flowing operation, 

 In every state of practical, busy movement 

 The rills of civilization. 



Materials here, under your eye, shall change their shape, as if by magic ; 



The cotton shall be pick'd almost in the very field, 



Shall be dried, clean'd, ginn'd, baled, spun into thread and cloth, before you : 



You shall see hands at work at all the old processes, and all the new ones ; 



You shall see the various grains, and how flour is made, and then bread baked by 



the bakers ; 

 You shall see the crude ores of California and Nevada passing on and on till they 



become bullion ; 

 You shall watch how the printer sets type, and learn what a composing stick is ; 

 You shall mark, in amazement, the Hoe press whirling its cylinders, shedding the 



printed leaves steady and fast : 

 The photograph, model, watch, pin, nail, shall be created before you. 



In large calm halls, a stately Museum shall teach you the infinite, solemn lessons 



of Minerals : 

 [n another, woods, plants, Vegetation shall be illustrated — in another Animals, 



animal life and development. 



« 



One stately house shall be the Music House , 



Others for other Arts — Learning, the Sciences shall all be here; 



None shall be slighted — none but shall here be honor'd, help'd, exampled. 



VII. 



This, this and these, America, shall be your Pyramids and Obelisks, 

 Your Alexandrian Pharos, gardens of Babylon, 

 Your temple at Olympia. 



The male and female many laboring not, 



Shall ever here confront the laboring many, 



With precious benefits to both — glory to all, 



To thee, America — and the^e, Eternal Muse. 



And here shall ye inhabit, Powerful Matrons ! 



In your vast state, vaster than all the old ; 



Echoed through long, long centuries to come, 



To sound of different, prouder songs, with stronger themes, 



Practical, peaceful life — the people's life — the People themselves, 



Lifted, illumin'd, bathed in peace — elate, secure in peace. 



VIII. 

 Away with themes of war ! away with War itself ! 



Hence from my shuddering sight, to never more return, that show of blacken'd, 

 mutilated corpses ! 



