Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-23
[Foa THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
p,,,r,,r nj Tho Ridg..-A Miniature

Two lofty Peaks OF nearly equal height
these are the Otter Peaks that Volney scald-
At least this fact trad ton has entail'd
In. man VINO lett the grape red hills oil france
To 90 where Arabs WELD the desert lance,
And wound through deep-EgyPtan abynnths
And sought on walls for moss grown hyacinths;
! Who spread his tent amid the stagnaht green
Where rose III ages past-an Eastern queen
Pamyra cali'd lis TuInd wreaths surVeyd,
! La winch that palm tree Queen was once arrayed,
| Time mas done much In crumolinS ga'es VI
brass
Through which huge armies once were wont 70
pass:
! Time has put out the temple Of the sun,
! Time has the race from gorgeous Cities won
When they were called dufatons course 70 run.
He spolls the wreath that grows on marble SOIL
An uses plllar'd strength but as his toll.
Ger walls and City gates he drives his piougns,
And sends the Kid and Camel in to browse:
| All thIevIng Time, how strong-now stlil MS
power,
| He closes gates as Evening shuts the flower.
| But none can blame this thief, or lime accuse,
That he has crush'd old Offers azure hues.
! And now my weary feet have won the crown
or these twin Peaks: | lay my scalloP down,
To swim awhile IN this vast Rural Sea
Compos'd OF rivers, shrubs and forest tree.
The statellest oaks are here reduced to reeds,
| And all their foliage turn'd 10 russell weeds,
And giari hills become like willow mounds,
That lie In rows along the funeral grounds.
And am here! SO near that brilliant CLOUD,
From winch might peal some anthem long and
loud,
From minstrel pois d upon its convex fold,
With purple stole, and harpof orange gold,
| AID send that circlIng ode the Sea around,
That men might kneel al that celestial sound.
And hang each verna Rose and Summer sheaf
On the hi "a atlas OF this renerlfts.
Gray rocks and old where now that circlIng
blue,
For Which my feet DER leagues OF distance flew!
| Thus on Lies chequerd way-some distant
boon,
Will draw the gaze, and rouse the tagging shoon.
! lis rock when galnd, but still the view expands
And looming Hope unfolds new mountain lands
| My suggard staff come break your transient
sleep
And help me on, DER yonder haggard steep.
| Drear IS the mountain in that blutfy height
| FIT pass for Rhoderlc Dhu and Snowdoun's
Knight.
| With here and there one silent sheep at feed,
A toll 10 iiocGs that roam the Pastoral Tweed.
| u
Slides down the shell III dangling, shaggy coat
Would that the Ridge were full OF Wild gszelles
| That nmbly move and sleep in Alpine dslls.
On! for pen like Goldsmlth's velvet pen,
10 write on riuds, III every Blue Ridge glen,
OF Lamas giIttsrlng III the Lunar beams,
That stop as guests before the mountain streams,
Then ne to Inns OF Rock, and granite stalls,
! Wrapt TO repose by bounding waterfalls,
! Ne hat tbp
Or pass ike currents through the mountain
| vens,
And then step down in groupes or single rows,
TO seek in mulberry groves sweet repose--
Through giidy heights yon brisk gazele moves
fast,
To pull at granite cribs its sweet repast
But eyes It's fold then, staff drive galy On
| From where the Sun reveals MS rosy dawn,
TO crimson Eve and reach that blessed nook,
| Where some dear BARN is statlon'd out 10 look.
A star EYED Waterman He who quick dlscsrDs
As round the woods, my worn out scalloP turns,
And leaves hla post, nor loves his Mother less,
| Because 10 her ne bounds swift express.
My Father comes: saw his palmer dress.
This glance at home has rous'd my slumberins
| feet,
Ny Summer flowers and youngest BARN to greet.
The Ridge is passd It's rude and bold denies,
Lead to the James, renown'd for grassy isles.
| No bridge OF boats like that which Xerxes lost,
| Nor one OF roots which Parneil's Hermit cross'd.
| | sat me down on its low banks 10 muse,
| And then my devious, winding way to choose.
One happy life old lzaak Walton spent
Beside ne Ewes, the Humber, or the Trent.
For Fisher boy now fix my ardent gaze,
VINO se-m'd expert in all the Angler ways.
His cork was sreen.-his cap Of various thread,
With light canoe OF mingled blue and red.
And near all isle, like some green water down,
As round, perhaps, as Queen Vic'oris's crown,
Save where one slight, and jutting North East
cape,
Impair'd somewhat its perfect circle shape.
| took my lutte, and chIrp'd III happy sounds,
Ol my own boyhood's, island, angling grounds.
Stranger. said he, where Is thy stately barb,
Why wearest thou, the Pilgrims tishter'd garb?
Say ddst thou come from. Seotia's purple hills
Or where SWISS torrents turn the Alpine mills
Who er thou art lone Pilgrim OF the woods,
Threading tny way mid these deep solltudss,
Spring to my boat, and thou shalt quickly reach,
The prbbled strand OF You opposing beach.
priceless act tor winch be heard my thanks,
On the low margin OF the River banks.
Along my way there stood Forest Inn,
Where travellers rest; but tolls anew begin.
And near that Inn striking wonder stands,
A Brds- not reard BY Art, but Natures hands.
20 firmly set the keystone OF the Arch,
That Persian Armies might securely march,
Across that desert way aud deep raylne,
mere limestone rocks III just proportion lean.
There could not be slope oi garden lawn,
More highly finished, or correctly drawn.
| sat me Gown 10 view that InclInd plane,
And thought OF all the Moorish works ia Spain,
And all that Ar, in playful moods had done,
In rearing temples to the Persian Sun,
OF Dorlc pillars, and Corinhlan flowers,
Athanlan domes and massive Gothic towers:
OF marble streets BY which the TIber flows,
Oh Dryburgn Abbey, Tintern and Melrose;
But could not see il all that foreign dream,
A work like that which spans the desert stream.
For here no; human art, but heavenly skill,
Has wrought IN air latch from hill TO hill
Thl. vale Is ownd By neither Jew nor Turk,
For mere prevail the rites vi Scottish Kirk;
The people plain, not gay like those in France,
WIFE here and there some Pastors .owlY manse.
His manse watch tower DER some pasture lea,
Or like a lighthouse " the rural sea.
From anxious, otlous, narrowing cares releast,
Like GoidsmIfhs Rector, or like Chaucers
priest.
That heather land which lies beyond the Tweed,
Has simple sounds al busle, bell and reed,
Her !ochs employ no words or glowing speech,
But roll tnrlr waves round many an island
beach,
And talk in plaintve tones of ancient days,
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