Classic Poem

In joy and gladness on ye go
My country's pleasant streams;
And oft through scenes as fair ye flow
As bless the Poet's dreams.
From hills, where stately forests rear
Their heads the breeze to brave —
From dark morass, or fountain clear,
You roll to ocean's wave.

The noble Lakes your strength supply,
And now the crystal spring,
Where undisturb'd the wild birds fly,
Or bathe the weary wing.
Through narrow gorges here you foam,
There down the valley rove,
Like youths who leave a quiet home,
The world's delights to prove.

A thousand ceaseless hymns of praise,
With music in each tone,
In mystic harmony you raise,
And heard by God alone.
But though to us it is not given,
The blended song to know,
Sweet sounds, that have the air of Heav'n
Delight us as ye go.

The granite cliff its shadow flings
Far down into the tide,
To deck your banks the flow'ret springs,
And scents ye as ye glide.
As through the spreading intervales
Your devious course you steer,
The waving grain your passage hails,
And flocks and herds appear.

And there the graceful Elms are found,
Your own peculiar tree;
And there stout hearted men abound —
The happy and the free.
And childhood's merry laugh is heard
Along the hills to float,
As, by the gentle breezes stirr'd
You waft his tiny boat.

Where youthful forms at eve repose.
And tales of passion tell,
While Beauty's cheek more beauteous grows,
And snowy bosoms swell —
In joy and gladness there ye go,
My country's pleasant streams;
And oft through scenes as fair ye flow,
As bless the Poet's dreams.

In joy and gladness on ye go
My country's pleasant streams;
And oft through scenes as fair ye flow
As bless the Poet's dreams.
From hills, where stately forests rear
Their heads the breeze to brave —
From dark morass, or fountain clear,
You roll to ocean's wave.

The noble Lakes your strength supply,
And now the crystal spring,
Where undisturb'd the wild birds fly,
Or bathe the weary wing.
Through narrow gorges here you foam,
There down the valley rove,
Like youths who leave a quiet home,
The world's delights to prove.

A thousand ceaseless hymns of praise,
With music in each tone,
In mystic harmony you raise,
And heard by God alone.
But though to us it is not given,
The blended song to know,
Sweet sounds, that have the air of Heav'n
Delight us as ye go.

The granite cliff its shadow flings
Far down into the tide,
To deck your banks the flow'ret springs,
And scents ye as ye glide.
As through the spreading intervales
Your devious course you steer,
The waving grain your passage hails,
And flocks and herds appear.

And there the graceful Elms are found,
Your own peculiar tree;
And there stout hearted men abound —
The happy and the free.
And childhood's merry laugh is heard
Along the hills to float,
As, by the gentle breezes stirr'd
You waft his tiny boat.

Where youthful forms at eve repose.
And tales of passion tell,
While Beauty's cheek more beauteous grows,
And snowy bosoms swell —
In joy and gladness there ye go,
My country's pleasant streams;
And oft through scenes as fair ye flow,
As bless the Poet's dreams.

The solid Joys of human Kind
Are those that flow from Peace of Mind;
For who the Sweets of Life can taste,
With Vice, and tim'rous Guilt, opprest?
'Tis Virtue softens all our Toils,
With Peace our Conscience crowns;
Gives Pleasure, when our Fortune smiles,
And Courage, when it frowns;
Calms ev'ry Trouble, makes the Soul serene,
Smooths the contracted Brow, and chears the Heart within.

W HILE guilty Minds, involv'd with Woe,
Anticipate the future Blow;
Which is (to make Damnation more complete)
The lesser Hell, in Passage to the great;
Bold and intrepid honest Men appear;
For, as they know no Evil, none they fear:
A glorious Shield of Virtue guards their Breast;
Arm'd with themselves, they always walk at Rest.

Thus , under bursting Clouds, and stormy Skies,
When Thunder roars, and Lightning flies.
Th' Imperial Eagles boldly rove,
Nor dread the fiery Bolt of J OVE ;
While meaner Birds in secret creep below;
And trembling fear, and often feel the Blow.