ON RAPID STREAMS. 125 



ground by the side of his brother woods (brothers 

 they are by name and fellowship, how still more so 

 by association in the minds of North Devonians) ; 

 at another, grown impetuous by presumptuous 

 obstacles, dashing and foaming with contemp- 

 tuous indignation past and over rocks and pebbles, 

 till having regained his wished-for course, he as- 

 sumes the jolly, delightful aspect so characteristic 

 of his pleasure-giving nature. How innocently 

 he lulls himself down in yonder pool ! How 

 pleasing his richness of complexion, differing 

 from the sickly-white transparency of inferior 

 streams, as does the nutty che,ek of the country 

 damsel by his side from the unhealthy pallor of the 

 daughter of cities ! With his temporary placidity, 

 how pleased is nature ! See how the trees luxuri- 

 ate in the tender and watchful care of him, as they 

 gently bow over their protected one, nor permit 

 the sun to break in on his slumbers but by stealthy 

 beams playing here and there upon his surface : 

 how delighted the choristers of the forest are ; 

 how they rejoice to tune their constant lays to 

 his honour : and see the busy spider has actually 

 spun her wondrous- wrought web from yon droop- 

 ing branch over his bosom to the adjacent banks, 

 sure token of undisturbed tranquillity. How nu- 

 merous are the gaudy flies dancing along and sport- 

 ing joyously on his surface ; and oh, reader ! if 

 you can but get your end fly well under that 

 spider's web, just where the beams of half-re- 

 fracted rays are sportively playing on the water, 

 giving the water itself, and a little air above, a 



