invisible stream flowing, like the river 

 Alphasus, unseen and unheard beneath the 

 earth? The spring is mute when these 

 questions rise to lips which it is always 

 ready to moisten from its cool depths. It 

 is enough that in this quiet place the bounty 

 of Nature never ceases to overflow, and that 

 here she holds out the cup of refreshment 

 with royal indifference to gratitude or 

 neglect. Here she ministers to every comer 

 as if her whole life were a service. One 

 forgets that behind this cup of cold water, 

 held out to the humblest, there sweep 

 sublime powers, and that the same hand 

 which serves him here moves in their 

 courses the planets, whose faint reflections 

 shine in this silent pool by night. 



Springs have been natural centres of life 

 from the earliest times. Deep in the soli- 

 tude of forests, or fringed with foliage in 

 the heart of deserts, they have alike served 

 the needs and appealed to the sentiment of 

 men. Around the wells cluster the most 

 venerable associations of the ancient patri- 

 archal families; the beautiful pastoral life 

 112 



