 | Rhymes for childhood |  |
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THE THREE KINGDOMS OF NATURE.
PART I.—MINERALS.
I will tell you what minerals are,And tell you too where they are found;
You need not go for them afar,
They lie on and under the ground.
The stones in the street or the yard;
No matter how large or how small,—
The diamond shining and hard,—
Why these things are minerals all.
No matter how large or how small,—
The diamond shining and hard,—
Why these things are minerals all.
The salt that is put on the meat,
The brimstone that burneth so bluely,
And alum more acid than sweet;
These also are minerals truly.
The brimstone that burneth so bluely,
And alum more acid than sweet;
These also are minerals truly.
For fuel what do you desire?
Why coal which will very well do;
Cold winter it cheers with a fire,—
And coal is a mineral too.
Why coal which will very well do;
Cold winter it cheers with a fire,—
And coal is a mineral too.
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And copper, and silver, and gold,
And brass shining bright as a bell;
Iron also you often behold,—
These minerals all are as well.
And brass shining bright as a bell;
Iron also you often behold,—
These minerals all are as well.
Some lie very deep in the ground,
In the darkness and depths of the mine;
But daily by miners are found,
To serve us or for us to shine.
In the darkness and depths of the mine;
But daily by miners are found,
To serve us or for us to shine.
PART II.—VEGETABLES.
Come children let us take a walk,
To yonder shady wood;
Where many a noble elm and oak,
Have now for ages stood.
To yonder shady wood;
Where many a noble elm and oak,
Have now for ages stood.
And let us walk along the field,
And down the pleasant lane;
Observing what the gardens yield,
And then return again.
And down the pleasant lane;
Observing what the gardens yield,
And then return again.
There's something join'd to every tree,
That beareth leaves or fruit,—
A something that you cannot see;
What is it? why,—the root.
That beareth leaves or fruit,—
A something that you cannot see;
What is it? why,—the root.
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The root that in the earth holds fast,
Supports the tree so tall;
If not, when loudly blows the blast,
The stately tree would fall.
Supports the tree so tall;
If not, when loudly blows the blast,
The stately tree would fall.
The branches shooting from the stem,
Display their leaves so green;—
Or fruit trees, if we look to them,
The lovely bloom is seen.
Display their leaves so green;—
Or fruit trees, if we look to them,
The lovely bloom is seen.
The trees in hedge-rows, great or small,
And herbs, and blooming bowers,
Are vegetables, one and all,
And all the pretty flowers.
And herbs, and blooming bowers,
Are vegetables, one and all,
And all the pretty flowers.
PART III.—ANIMALS.
On the land, there are many living things,
Some have hands, some have feet, some have wings,
And some are very much like me.
Some are very weak and small,
Some are very strong and tall,
Some can sing a pretty song,
Like the lark, and glide along,
On the wing, through the air so free.
Some have hands, some have feet, some have wings,
And some are very much like me.
Some are very weak and small,
Some are very strong and tall,
Some can sing a pretty song,
Like the lark, and glide along,
On the wing, through the air so free.
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In the sea, living things are there,—
Living things, as on earth, and in air,—
Down, down in the deep, deep sea.
There the little cockle dwells,
In a moving hill of shells;
And the very large whale,
With his very strong tail,
And they glide, through the wave, so free.
Living things, as on earth, and in air,—
Down, down in the deep, deep sea.
There the little cockle dwells,
In a moving hill of shells;
And the very large whale,
With his very strong tail,
And they glide, through the wave, so free.
All that live, all that move, on the earth,
No matter where the place of their birth,
Be they young, old, short or tall,—
All the fishes in the sea,
All the birds in air so free,
All that live upon the land,
All that creep, or walk, or stand
They are animals, one and all.
No matter where the place of their birth,
Be they young, old, short or tall,—
All the fishes in the sea,
All the birds in air so free,
All that live upon the land,
All that creep, or walk, or stand
They are animals, one and all.
| Rhymes for childhood | |