On May the 11th, 1726, the Commons voted “That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, that out of the lands in St. Christopher’s, yielded by France to Great Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht, his Majesty would be graciously pleased to make such grant for the use of the President and Fellows of the College of St. Paul in Bermuda as his Majesty shall think proper.” The College, though here named, was never established, but the glow of anticipated success was the inspiration of prophetic and noble verse—such verse as Mr. Palgrave tells us is written by thoughtful men who practise the art but little.
“In happy climes, the seat of innocence,
Where nature guides and virtue rules,
Where men shall not impose for truth and sense
The pedantry of courts and schools;
“There shall be sung another golden age,
The rise of Empire and of Arts,
The good and great inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and noblest hearts.
“Not such as Europe breeds in her decay;