Song Birds and Water Fowl 



continents themselves, like fabled Venus, 

 sprang from out the sea. We are very much 

 misled by appearances when we speak of the 

 firm land, and the inconstant deep. Like an 

 army, successively advancing and retreating, 

 has the solid earth been oscillating up and 

 down, now out of water, now submerged, 

 throughout the geologic ages — ^the very type of 

 instability. But, before the mountains were 

 brought forth, or ever a dawning continent 

 emerged above the waves to challenge the do- 

 minion of the sea, this hoariest of monarchs 

 reigned in matchless solitude, his shoreless bil- 

 lowy realm encompassing the globe, All in- 

 stability is of the land, the ocean is the only 

 changeless thing. 



" Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou roUest now." 



The continents, before such "chronicles of 

 untold ancientness," are younger and more 

 fair ; and, as becomes their state, may revel in 

 bright colors and glad tones, in forest and gar- 

 den bloom, and the gay song of lark and night 

 ingale. But the ocean, old and gray, is serious- 

 minded, and its grave maturity is better 

 matched by creatures in a quieter attire, of less 



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