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Valentine Verses

or, Lines of Truth, Love, and Virtue. By the Reverend Richard Cobbold
 
 

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PLAIN REASONS FOR PLEASURE.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


179

PLAIN REASONS FOR PLEASURE.

The Tiber, the Tigris, Euphrates, and Nile,
Those rivers of classical glory may smile;
The Thames or the Medway may sparkle with glee,
But the Orwell is loveliest river for me.
The Xanthus, or otherwise noted Scamander,
Through valleys of Troas may placidly wander;
The Humber, the Clyde, or the Avon delight,
But the Orwell for me has the loveliest sight.
The Niger, the Rubicon, Cios may flow,
The Garatas glitter, the Ladon move slow;
The Danube, the Ister, the Elbe, and the Rhine,
They may all have delights; but the Orwell is mine.
The Inacus, Imbrasus, Palus Linterna,
The Arcadian Styx, call'd the Palus Inferna;
The gentle Limæa and Lisson may be,
To their poets delightful: The Orwell for me.

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But why has this river such charms for mine eye,
The world cannot give such another, ah! why?
For reasons as plain as a precept of truth,
I have liv'd and have lov'd on this spot of my youth.
The banks where my footsteps in infancy's day,
Had delight to be roaming in innocent play;
The kiss of affection was given and ta'en,
On the banks of the Orwell.—Ah pleasure has pain!
As over the waters, or banks, I still roam,
As yet they are lovely, as yet are my home;
The Reason for Pleasure assuredly is,
That I ride, sail, or walk, and the Orwell has bliss.
A Reason for Pleasure no nature can give,
Till man learns to profit, to love, and to live,
To act a good part, to be firm, faithful, kind,
And to cultivate friendship, religion, and mind.