Messis Vitae Author:John Stuart Blackie 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: SPUT DUBH (A Cascade near Pitlochrie.) SON of the mountain, Beautiful and strong, Roaring and pouring And sweeping along ; Mighty art thou, ... more »As I see thee now Flinging the gathered floods of the Ben Into the leafy shade of the glen ; Like to a steed, With galloping speed, Tossing his mane, And whisking his tail, Art thou, when the pride Of thy foaming tide Leaps to the vale, Son of the mountain ! C Most like a god, Of things that I know, On the earth below, Art thou, in the pride Of thy foaming tide, Son of the mountain ! Summers and winters, Inconstant ever, Roll their changes Over thy head ; Rocks tumble down From the mountain's crown, And stout old trees, Root-wrenched by the breeze, Fall with a crash Into the dash Of thy billowy bed ; But thou dost abide Unchanged in the swell Of thy sky-fed well, Most like in thy pride To a deathless god, Son of the mountain ! Wise was the old Greek man who sang, " Water is best." As from the breast Of mighty Cybele, Nurturing mother, To every form Of the breathing nation, From eagle on wing To creeping worm, And man, the king Of the vasty creation, Flowed the redundant, Life-sustaining, Milky fountain ; So, when thou pourest Richly thy waters, Budding and blowing Follows thy flowing; Earth's sons and daughters Rejoice in thy going. Corn fields are waving Near to thy laving, Gardens are growing With flower and with tree, And proud cities rise With towers to the skies, Watered by thee, Son of the mountain ! Son of the mountain, Lovely art thou, Where thou leapest as now, Silvery bright, From the mountain's brow, With the unspotted breadth of the blue above thee, And the circling grace of the trees that love thee, Spiring larch, and the tresses fine Of waving birch, And t...« less