The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince Edited by R. A. Douglas Lithgow |
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THE STREAM AND THE VINE. |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince |  |
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THE STREAM AND THE VINE.
“Joy! joy!” said the jolly-voiced mountain Vine—
“What a pleasant and care-killing nature is mine!
How glorious am I, in the glad vintage time,
When joyance rings loud in the soft sunny clime;
When my lithe, laden branches droop heavily down
O'er the damsel bedecked with my leaf-woven crown;
When my full purple fruitage is gathered and pressed,
To exalt the dull brain, and enrapture the breast;
Whilst my idol-god, Bacchus, with beaker in hand,
Reels, laughing and quaffing, all over the land,
And the dear eyes of Beauty with wilder light shine—
Joy! joy!” said the jolly-voiced mountain Vine.
“What a pleasant and care-killing nature is mine!
How glorious am I, in the glad vintage time,
When joyance rings loud in the soft sunny clime;
When my lithe, laden branches droop heavily down
O'er the damsel bedecked with my leaf-woven crown;
When my full purple fruitage is gathered and pressed,
To exalt the dull brain, and enrapture the breast;
Whilst my idol-god, Bacchus, with beaker in hand,
Reels, laughing and quaffing, all over the land,
And the dear eyes of Beauty with wilder light shine—
Joy! joy!” said the jolly-voiced mountain Vine.
“Joy! joy!” said the merry-toned mountain Stream,
As it babbled and blushed in the moon's early beam—
“With a silvery song, and a frolicsome flow,
I purify, strengthen, and cheer, as I go;
The grass groweth greener wherever I run,
And brighter the flowers, in shadow or sun;
The traveller loveth my crystalline wave,
The peasant knows well that I solace and save;
I carry no poison, engender no strife,
But offer the boon of a rational life;
My waters give blessings wherever they gleam—
Joy! joy!” said the merry-toned mountain Stream.
As it babbled and blushed in the moon's early beam—
“With a silvery song, and a frolicsome flow,
I purify, strengthen, and cheer, as I go;
The grass groweth greener wherever I run,
And brighter the flowers, in shadow or sun;
The traveller loveth my crystalline wave,
The peasant knows well that I solace and save;
I carry no poison, engender no strife,
But offer the boon of a rational life;
My waters give blessings wherever they gleam—
Joy! joy!” said the merry-toned mountain Stream.
“Behold!” said the Vine, “friendly fellows are met,
A jovial crew, a convivial set,
Who sprinkle libations to Bacchus and me,
And quaff my red blood with a boisterous glee;
As up goes the goblet, and down goes the juice,
Frail Reason gets fettered, while Folly gets loose;
Groweth louder the laugh, groweth lewder the tongue,
And the bard breaketh out in delirious song.
On roars the rude revel, till, drunken and dim,
Lamp, bottle, and Bacchanal stagger and swim;
Why, the whole human herd are gone frantic with wine!
Joy! joy!” said the jolly-voiced mountain Vine!
A jovial crew, a convivial set,
Who sprinkle libations to Bacchus and me,
And quaff my red blood with a boisterous glee;
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Frail Reason gets fettered, while Folly gets loose;
Groweth louder the laugh, groweth lewder the tongue,
And the bard breaketh out in delirious song.
On roars the rude revel, till, drunken and dim,
Lamp, bottle, and Bacchanal stagger and swim;
Why, the whole human herd are gone frantic with wine!
Joy! joy!” said the jolly-voiced mountain Vine!
“Behold!” said the Stream, “in yon temple of light
What a vision of peace, what a beauteous sight!
Strong thinkers and workers, in orderly guise,
Fair women, with grateful and joy-beaming eyes,
Hale Age, with the countenance radiant with truth,
Mild Manhood, self-governed, and reverent Youth;—
They assemble to listen, to learn, and to teach
High thought that o'erflows in clear current of speech:
They converse of reforms, and at once they essay
To hasten the dawn of a holier day;
And Heaven will help the benevolent scheme—
Joy! joy!” said the merry-toned mountain Stream.
What a vision of peace, what a beauteous sight!
Strong thinkers and workers, in orderly guise,
Fair women, with grateful and joy-beaming eyes,
Hale Age, with the countenance radiant with truth,
Mild Manhood, self-governed, and reverent Youth;—
They assemble to listen, to learn, and to teach
High thought that o'erflows in clear current of speech:
They converse of reforms, and at once they essay
To hasten the dawn of a holier day;
And Heaven will help the benevolent scheme—
Joy! joy!” said the merry-toned mountain Stream.
“Thou art lovely to see,” said the Vine to the Stream,
“But thy draught is as dull as an idiot's dream;
Thou hast but a paltry and puny control,
Thou lendest no fire to the slumbering soul!”
“Thou art graceful to see,” said the Stream to the Vine,
“But a deadly and dangerous spirit is thine;
For madness is born of thy boisterous mirth,
And thy victims grow reckless of heaven or earth!”
Oh! ye who are striving to lift us and bless,
And ye, too, who grovel in savage excess,
Ye fettered and fallen, ye upright and free,
Say, which has your homage—the Wave or the Tree?
“But thy draught is as dull as an idiot's dream;
Thou hast but a paltry and puny control,
Thou lendest no fire to the slumbering soul!”
“Thou art graceful to see,” said the Stream to the Vine,
“But a deadly and dangerous spirit is thine;
For madness is born of thy boisterous mirth,
And thy victims grow reckless of heaven or earth!”
Oh! ye who are striving to lift us and bless,
And ye, too, who grovel in savage excess,
Ye fettered and fallen, ye upright and free,
Say, which has your homage—the Wave or the Tree?
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