Sonnets written chiefly during a tour through Holland, Germany, Italy, Turkey, and Hungary. By Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley |
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SONNET.
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 | Sonnets |  |
11
SONNET.
TO THE RHINE.
Flow! River!—thou mighty in story,
With the Beauty of Heaven on thy face;
Be the mirror of Nature's pure glory,
And not of man's vain, restless race.
With the Beauty of Heaven on thy face;
Be the mirror of Nature's pure glory,
And not of man's vain, restless race.
Shine!—River!—for lovely around ye
Smile scenes of enchantment indeed;
Rocks and heights that for centuries have crown'd ye
Still hail ye, far-flashing in speed.
Smile scenes of enchantment indeed;
Rocks and heights that for centuries have crown'd ye
Still hail ye, far-flashing in speed.
No longer ensanguined and shrouded
In dark veils of deep sulphurous gloom,
Thou reflectest thy fair skies unclouded,
And thy banks full of beauty and bloom!
In dark veils of deep sulphurous gloom,
Thou reflectest thy fair skies unclouded,
And thy banks full of beauty and bloom!
Sing!—River! for thou hast, we own it!—
A deep voice of power and of Pride!—
And the Syrens of old, had they known it,
Would for thy waves have left their blue tide.
A deep voice of power and of Pride!—
And the Syrens of old, had they known it,
Would for thy waves have left their blue tide.
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Ev'n their voices had been more enchanting—
Blent with thy dulcet breathings, divine;
Their rapt bosoms all tunefully panting,
Had leant trebly inspired upon thine.
Blent with thy dulcet breathings, divine;
Their rapt bosoms all tunefully panting,
Had leant trebly inspired upon thine.
But no rocks, black with dire mortal danger
Beneath thy tide's smoothness remain—
And the Syren should here lure the stranger,
Half in Heaven, but to Earth back again!
Beneath thy tide's smoothness remain—
And the Syren should here lure the stranger,
Half in Heaven, but to Earth back again!
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