"To the University of Cambridge, in New England" is an early poem by Phillis Wheatley, the first Black woman to publish English-language poetry. Her first (and only) collection, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, was printed in 1773. In this poem, Wheatley, who was only around 14 years old when she wrote the first draft, implores a group of new Harvard students to be good Christians—and never to forget the magnitude of Jesus's sacrifice for humankind. The poem is a kind of imagined sermon or commencement address, in which Wheatley demonstrates her authority and her precocious understanding of poetry.
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The Full Text of “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
1While an intrinsic ardor prompts to write,
2The muses promise to assist my pen;
3’Twas not long since I left my native shore
4The land of errors, and Egyptian gloom:
5Father of mercy, ’twas thy gracious hand
6Brought me in safety from those dark abodes.
7 Students, to you ’tis giv’n to scan the heights
8Above, to traverse the ethereal space,
9And mark the systems of revolving worlds.
10Still more, ye sons of science ye receive
11The blissful news by messengers from heav’n,
12How Jesus’ blood for your redemption flows.
13See him with hands out-stretcht upon the cross;
14Immense compassion in his bosom glows;
15He hears revilers, nor resents their scorn:
16What matchless mercy in the Son of God!
17When the whole human race by sin had fall’n,
18He deign’d to die that they might rise again,
19And share with him in the sublimest skies,
20Life without death, and glory without end.
21 Improve your privileges while they stay,
22Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears
23Or good or bad report of you to heav’n.
24Let sin, that baneful evil to the soul,
25By you be shunn’d, nor once remit your guard;
26Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg.
27Ye blooming plants of human race divine,
28An Ethiop tells you ’tis your greatest foe;
29Its transient sweetness turns to endless pain,
30And in immense perdition sinks the soul.
The Full Text of “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
1While an intrinsic ardor prompts to write,
2The muses promise to assist my pen;
3’Twas not long since I left my native shore
4The land of errors, and Egyptian gloom:
5Father of mercy, ’twas thy gracious hand
6Brought me in safety from those dark abodes.
7 Students, to you ’tis giv’n to scan the heights
8Above, to traverse the ethereal space,
9And mark the systems of revolving worlds.
10Still more, ye sons of science ye receive
11The blissful news by messengers from heav’n,
12How Jesus’ blood for your redemption flows.
13See him with hands out-stretcht upon the cross;
14Immense compassion in his bosom glows;
15He hears revilers, nor resents their scorn:
16What matchless mercy in the Son of God!
17When the whole human race by sin had fall’n,
18He deign’d to die that they might rise again,
19And share with him in the sublimest skies,
20Life without death, and glory without end.
21 Improve your privileges while they stay,
22Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears
23Or good or bad report of you to heav’n.
24Let sin, that baneful evil to the soul,
25By you be shunn’d, nor once remit your guard;
26Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg.
27Ye blooming plants of human race divine,
28An Ethiop tells you ’tis your greatest foe;
29Its transient sweetness turns to endless pain,
30And in immense perdition sinks the soul.
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Summary
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Themes
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Gratitude and Redemption
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
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Lines 1-2
While an intrinsic ardor prompts to write,
The muses promise to assist my pen; -
Lines 3-6
’Twas not long since I left my native shore
The land of errors, and
Egyptian
gloom:
Father of mercy, ’twas thy gracious hand
Brought me in safety from those dark abodes. -
Lines 7-9
Students, to you ’tis giv’n to scan the heights
Above, to traverse the ethereal space,
And mark the systems of revolving worlds. -
Lines 10-12
Still more, ye sons of science ye receive
The blissful news by messengers from heav’n,
How Jesus’ blood for your redemption flows. -
Lines 13-16
See him with hands out-stretcht upon the cross;
Immense compassion in his bosom glows;
He hears revilers, nor resents their scorn:
What matchless mercy in the Son of God! -
Lines 17-20
When the whole human race by sin had fall’n,
He deign’d to die that they might rise again,
And share with him in the sublimest skies,
Life without death, and glory without end. -
Lines 21-23
Improve your privileges while they stay,
Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears
Or good or bad report of you to heav’n. -
Lines 24-26
Let sin, that baneful evil to the soul,
By you be shunn’d, nor once remit your guard;
Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg. -
Lines 27-28
Ye blooming plants of human race divine,
An Ethiop tells you ’tis your greatest foe; -
Lines 29-30
Its transient sweetness turns to endless pain,
And in immense perdition sinks the soul.
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Symbols
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The Skies
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Alliteration
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Allusion
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End-Stopped Line
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Metaphor
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Sibilance
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Apostrophe
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Intrinsic
- Ardor
- Muses
- 'Twas
- Thy
- Abodes
- 'Tis
- Giv'n
- Scan
- The Heights
- Traverse
- Ethereal
- Mark
- Ye
- Redemption
- Bosom
- Revilers
- Matchless
- Fall'n
- Deign'd
- Redeem
- Report
- Baneful
- Shunn'd
- Remit
- Guard
- Suppress
- Deadly Serpent
- Ethiop
- Foe
- Transient
- Perdition
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
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Form
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Meter
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Rhyme Scheme
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Speaker
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“To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Setting
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Literary and Historical Context of “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
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More “To the University of Cambridge, in New England” Resources
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External Resources
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Phillis Wheatley's Life — Watch a lively lecture on Wheatley's life from her biographer Vincent Carretta.
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A Short Biography — Learn more about Wheatley's life and work at the Poetry Foundation.
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Wheatley and Granville Sharpe — Read about Wheatley's influential meeting with abolitionist Granville Sharpe.
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Letter to Rev. Occum — Read a letter in which Wheatley discusses slavery.
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The First Edition — See images of the 1773 first edition of Wheatley's poems.
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Phillis Wheatley
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