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50

A NEW PUZZLE.

It is as high as all the stars,
No well was ever sunk so low;
It is in age, five thousand years,
But was not born an hour ago.
It is as wet as water is,
No red-hot iron e'er was drier;
As dark as night, as cold as ice,
Shines like the sun, and burns like fire,
No soul, nor body to consume—
No fox more cunning, dunce more dull;
'Tis not on earth, 'tis in this room,
Hard as a stone and soft as wool.
'Tis of no color, but of snow,
Outside and inside black as ink;
All red, all yellow, green and blue—
This moment you upon it think.
In every noise, this strikes your ear,
'Twill soon expire, 'twill ne'er decay;
Does always in the light appear,
And yet was never seen by day.
Than the whole earth it larger is,
Than a small pin's point 't is less;
I'll tell you ten times what it is,
Yet after all, you shall not guess!
'Tis in your mouth, 't was never nigh—
Where'er you look, you see it still;
'Twill make you laugh, 'twill make you cry;
You feel it plain, touch what you will.
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