The Irish Metropolitan Magazine Author:Unknown Author Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: "VITE VIA.' With colours dressed and silken streamers glancing, Sailed we from out the haven of our youth; Each heart exultingly with hope high dancing, H... more »ailing its promise as the pledge of unlii. No gayer, lighter-hearted crew at starting Ever had mustered in the port we left; Impatient for the moment of departing, Joyful to mark the shore-bound cables cleft. From that one harbour set we sail together, Lords of a thousand vessels, each unlike ; Some built to battle with foul wind and weather, Daring the storms to injure where they strike. It. Some with light holiday-bedizened bearing, Heedless of distant peril's winter gale, As floats a swan, its arching wings uprearing, Spread to the Spring their zephyr-courting sail. A thousand winding courses lay before us ; Nearing them, yet uncertain which to try A thousand hidden currents caught and bore us Each to the channel he must voyage by. Some through an island-studded fretwork flowing, Tracing the silvered outline of its maze Around the circled gardens that lay glowing Brightly beneath the summer's tissued haze; While overhead the heavy blossom bendin" Drooped to the rippled water's trembfing kiss, Fragrance with freshness dallying and blending Languorously in interchanging bliss. And unto some their narrow path was bounded Steeply by barren walls of granite rock, Whose sullen scarp of precipice resounded Hoarsely the shattered breakers' baffled shook. Down the swift stream, by many a whirling eddy, Past sunken rocks that scarce the eye could mark, Steered with strong courage, nerves firm-strung and steady, Swept the adventure-seeker-freighted bark. We knew that far beyond there lay the ocean, Whither each vessel bearing us must glide, But...« less