Small Rivers. 157 



tive of more enjoyment to all of us. There are few, if 

 any, prettier views in England than that from the ter- 

 race at Apley House. The Vale of Severn deserves its 

 reputation. We had a trip on the river for several 

 miles from Bridgenorth to the grounds as part of the 

 day's pleasure. 



How very small England's great rivers are ! I re- 

 member how deeply hurt Mr. F was when his Yan- 

 kee nephew (H. P. Jr., Our Pard) visited him for the 

 first time, and was shown the river by his uncle, who 

 loved it. " Call this a river ? " exclaimed he, " why, it's 

 only a creek ! I could almost jump across it there." 

 But H. P. was young then, and would not have hesitated 

 to " speak disrespectfully of the equator " upon occa- 

 sion. I won the good man's heart at once by saying 

 that small though it was in size (and what has either 

 he or I to boast of in that hne, I wonder?) little Severn 

 filled a larger space in the world's destiny and the 

 world's thoughts than twenty mighty streams. Listen : 



" Three times they breathed and three times did they drink 

 Upon agreement of swift Severn's flood, 

 Who then, affrighted with their bloody looks, 

 Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds 

 And hid his crisp head in the hollow bank, 

 Blood-stained with these violent combatants." 



Why, you have not a river like that in all America. 

 H. P. was judiciously silent. But I do not think he was 



