[From Aurora Leigh, Book vii.] HE river trailing like a silver cord THE Through all, and curling loosely, both before And after, over the whole stretch of land. E. B. BROWNING. [From An Island.] AND brooks, that glass in different strengths All colours in disorder, Or, gathering up their silver lengths Beside their winding border, Sleep, haunted through the slumber hidden, By lilies white as dreams in Eden. E. B. BROWNING. [From The Spring and the Brook.] BUT Thou, O lively Brook! whose fruitful way Brings with it mirror'd smiles, and green, and flowers, Child of all scenes, companion of all hours, Taking the simple cheer of every day. LORD HOUGHTON. [From The Water Babies, Chap. i.] The River's Song. LEAR and cool, clear and cool, CLEA By laughing shallow, and dreaming pool; Cool and clear, cool and clear, By shining shingle, and foaming weir; Under the crag where the ouzel sings, And the ivied wall where the church bell rings, Undefiled, for the undefiled; Play by me, bathe in me, mother and child. Dank and foul, dank and foul, By wharf and sewer and slimy bank; Baser and baser the richer I grow ; Who dare sport with the sin defiled? Shrink from me, turn from me, mother and child. Strong and free, strong and free, Cleansing my streams as I hurry along, As I lose myself in the infinite main, Like a soul that has sinned and is pardoned again. Undefiled, for the undefiled, Play by me, bathe in me, mother and child. CHARLES Kingsley. A River Pool. WEET streamlet basin! at thy side SWE Weary and faint within me cried Or idly list the dreamy sound That home of peace, if not of love. ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH. [From Elegiacs.-i.] FROM thy far sources, 'mid mountains airily climbing, Pass to the rich lowland, thou busy sunny river; Murmuring once, dimpling, pellucid, limpid, abundant, Deepening now, widening, swelling, a lordly river. Through woodlands steering, with branches waving above thee, Through the meadows sinuous, wandering irriguous; Towns, hamlets leaving, towns by thee, bridges across thee, Pass to palace garden, pass to cities populous. Murmuring once, dimpling, 'mid woodlands wandering idly, Tow with mighty vessels loaded, a mighty river. Pass to the great waters, though tides may seem to resist thee; Tides to resist seeming, quickly will lend thee passage, Pass to the dark waters that roaring wait to receive thee; Pass them thou wilt not, thou busy sunny river. R A. H. CLOUGH. [From Alteram Partem.] THE rivers flow into the sea Is loss and waste, the foolish say, Nor know that back they find their way, Unseen, to where they wont to be. A. H. CLOUGH. [From The Spanish Gipsy, Book i.] GEORGE ELIOT. [From The Roman, Scene vii.] NEAR, below, a rushing torrent its long dance of beauty led, And a forest-beast of grandeur cross'd it with a stately tread ; Golden ran the rapid river gleaming though the skies were cold, Far into the Sabine distance, mantling with its sands of gold. Said Quirinus, sad, but proudly, gazing with a look sublime, "Gods! so fording life, would I send golden sands down streams of time!" He look'd up to heaven, and he look'd down upon the river strand : Smiling through the crystal water, shining lay the untroubled sand. Said Quirinus, proud, but sadly, gazing upon frith and firth, "Gods! so shall the tide of ages rase my footsteps from the earth!" SYDNEY DObell. [From The Roman, Scene ix.] SIRS, where my garden joins the fields Low in the vale, no hedge shuts out the fairies, Exchange their beauties. Fond amidst them runs |