AND RIVERS. 183 



control of man, it leaps in glittering pearls over 

 the wheel to assist him in his labours ; which steals 

 through the meadows, now holding its glassy 

 mirror to the sky, and now hidden by the bright 

 iris, and the bristling sword-flag ; and which after 

 it has run its course, the ornament and the fer- 

 tilizer of its own native valley, mingles with the 

 more copious flood of the river which sweeps gal- 

 lantly by, and on the banks whereof Wealth builds 

 his palace, and Science his temple, and Religion 

 her sacred fane. We cannot help regarding with 

 lofty emotion that river when it thunders over the 

 steep, and stuns the country round with its noise, 

 but keeps it green and fresh with its ever- shower- 

 ing drops, and whose estuary tempts man to found 

 his most goodly city, and harbour his most power- 

 ful, his most wealth-collecting, his most peace- 

 compelling fleet ; but though these powerfully draw 

 the attention of the senses, and mightily excite and 

 elevate the mind, there is an unseen return of the 

 waters, which outdoes them all in the wonders of 

 its working. 



The atmosphere is usually and justly styled 

 "the breath" of every living thing; but it is 

 something more extensive, and anterior to that ; 

 and were it to suspend its general evaporative 

 power for even a brief period of time, the very 

 beginnings of life would be cut off, and its foun- 

 tains dried up. All the water which the rivers 

 of the world roll to the sea, all that slumbers in 

 ponds and expands in lakes, all that is caught in 

 fountains, drawn from wells, or in any way appro- 

 priated to the processes of the arts or the purposes 

 of life, all that supplies drink to the whole animal 

 race, and is breath, and life, and clothing, and 



R2 



