 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
71
THE SPRING ON THE SHORE.
Upgushing through the pebbly strand,
Here flows a fairy crystal stream;
Its waters, sparkling o'er the sand,
Like threads of liquid silver seem.
Here flows a fairy crystal stream;
Its waters, sparkling o'er the sand,
Like threads of liquid silver seem.
The music of its note is sweet,
As singingly it speeds along,
The river's stormy lord to meet,
And soothe his harshness with a song.
As singingly it speeds along,
The river's stormy lord to meet,
And soothe his harshness with a song.
The cattle from the grassy lea
Come gratefully its wealth to drink,
And birds of land and birds of sea
Meet peacefully beside its brink.
Come gratefully its wealth to drink,
And birds of land and birds of sea
Meet peacefully beside its brink.
The sunbeam on the rippling tide
Smiles gayly down from heavenly height,
To see its glories magnified
In myriad beams of golden light.
Smiles gayly down from heavenly height,
To see its glories magnified
In myriad beams of golden light.
And men, with foreheads red and warm,
Bow down before the crystal shrine;
And girlhood bends her graceful form,
And shadowy lips with real join.
Bow down before the crystal shrine;
And girlhood bends her graceful form,
And shadowy lips with real join.
72
But see the rapid river rise!
Fast, fast it gains upon the shore,—
A moment, and the spot we prize
The angry billow closes o'er.
Fast, fast it gains upon the shore,—
A moment, and the spot we prize
The angry billow closes o'er.
But gushing still, though hid from view,
The little rill yet pours its tide,
As constantly, as pure and true,
As when by sunlight glorified!
The little rill yet pours its tide,
As constantly, as pure and true,
As when by sunlight glorified!
And when the rolling river wanes,
And cravenly deserts the shore,
The rivulet new strength obtains,
And sings and sparkles as before.
And cravenly deserts the shore,
The rivulet new strength obtains,
And sings and sparkles as before.
And this the lesson it may teach:
That thus Truth's crystal streamlets rise,
And trickle on o'er Time's dark beach,
To bless the heart and glad the eyes.
That thus Truth's crystal streamlets rise,
And trickle on o'er Time's dark beach,
To bless the heart and glad the eyes.
And that, though Error's tide o'erflow
The gentle stream, and hide its power,
Its silvery wave again will glow,
And Truth's fair spirit rule the hour.
The gentle stream, and hide its power,
Its silvery wave again will glow,
And Truth's fair spirit rule the hour.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |