Appears, and none of modern Fortune's care; Yet thou thyself hast round thee shed a gleam Of brilliant moss, instinct with freshness rare; Prompt offering to thy Foster-mother, Earth! IV. TAKE, cradled Nursling of the mountain, take 5 The curves, a loosely-scattered chain doth make; Or rather thou appear'st a glittering snake, Silent, and to the gazer's eye untrue, Thridding with sinuous lapse the rushes, through Dwarf willows gliding, and by ferny brake. Starts from a dizzy steep the undaunted Rill Robed instantly in garb of snow-white foam; 10 And laughing dares the Adventurer, who hath clomb So high, a rival purpose to fulfil; Else let the dastard backward wend, and roam, Seeking less bold achievement, where he will! V. SOLE listener, Duddon! to the breeze that played With thy clear voice, I caught the fitful sound Wafted o'er sullen moss and craggy moundUnfruitful solitudes, that seemed to upbraid The sun in heaven!— but now, to form a shade 5 For Thee, green alders have together wound Their foliage; ashes flung their arms around; And birch-trees risen in silver colonnade. And thou hast also tempted here to rise, 'Mid sheltering pines, this Cottage rude and grey; ΙΟ Whose ruddy children, by the mother's eyes Carelessly watched, sport through the summer day, Thy pleased associates:-light as endless May On infant bosoms lonely Nature lies. VI. FLOWERS. ERE yet our course was graced with social trees 5 Fed by the stream with soft perpetual showers, Plenteously yielded to the vagrant breeze. There bloomed the strawberry of the wilderness; The trembling eyebright showed her sapphire blue, 10 The thyme her purple, like the blush of Even; VII. "CHANGE me, some God, into that breathing rose!" The love-sick Stripling fancifully sighs, Or he would pass into her bird, that throws 5 The darts of song from out its wiry cage; Ungraciously receives. Too daring choice! 10 Fearless of plough and scythe; or darkling wren That tunes on Duddon's banks her slender voice. VIII. WHAT aspect bore the Man who roved or fled, First of his tribe, to this dark dell-who first In this pellucid Current slaked his thirst? What hopes came with him? what designs were spread Along his path? His unprotected bed 5 What dreams encompassed? Was the intruder nursed In hideous usages, and rites accursed, That thinned the living and disturbed the dead? No voice replies ;--both air and earth are mute; And Thou, blue Streamlet, murmuring yield'st Than a soft record, that, whatever fruit IX. THE STEPPING-STONES. THE struggling Rill insensibly is grown Crossed ever and anon by plank or arch; stone In studied symmetry, with interspace 5 For the clear waters to pursue their race Without restraint. How swiftly have they flown, Succeeding still succeeding! Here the Child Puts, when the high-swoln Flood runs fierce and wild, ΤΟ His budding courage to the proof; and here X. THE SAME SUBJECT. NOT so that Pair whose youthful spirits dance 5 She sues for help with piteous utterance! Chidden she chides again; the thrilling touch Both feel, when he renews the wished-for aid: 10 Ah! if their fluttering hearts should stir too much, Should beat too strongly, both may be betrayed. The frolic Loves, who, from yon high rock, see The struggle, clap their wings for victory! XI. THE FAERY CHASM. No fiction was it of the antique age: Which tiny Elves impressed ;-on that smooth stage Dancing with all their brilliant equipage In secret revels-haply after theft 5 Of some sweet Babe-Flower stolen, and coarse Weed left For the distracted Mother to assuage Her grief with, as she might!-But, where, oh! where Is traceable a vestige of the notes That ruled those dances wild in character ?— XII. HINTS FOR THE FANCY. ON, loitering Muse-the swift Stream chides us-on! Albeit his deep-worn channel doth immure 5 Palace and tower, are crumbled into dust!-10 The Bard who walks with Duddon for his guide, Shall find such toys of fancy thickly set: |