Niagara Falls 

 1830 Thou flowest on in quiet, till thy waves 



Hereclia 



Grow broken midst the rocks ; thy current, then, 



Shoots onward, like the irresistible course 



Of destiny. How terribly they rage, — 



The hoarse and rapid whirlpools there I My brain 



Grows wild, my senses wander, as I gaze 



Upon the hurrying waters; and my sight 



Vainly would follow, as toward the verge 



Sweeps the wide torrent: waves innumerable 



Meet there and madden ; waves innumerable 



Urge on and overtake the waves before, 



And disappear in thunder and in foam. 



They reach, they leap, the barrier; the abyss 



Swallows, insatiable, the sinking waves; 



A thousand rainbows arch them, and the woods 



Are deafen'd with the roar. The violent shock 



Shatters to vapour the descending sheets; 



A cloudy whirlwind fills the gulf, and bears 



The mighty pyramid of circling mist 



To heaven. The solitary hunter, near, 



Pauses with terror, in the forest shade. 



God of all truth! in other lands, I've seen 



Lying philosophers, blaspheming men, 



Questioners of thy mysteries, that draw 



Their fellows deep into impiety; 



And therefore doth my spirit seek thy face 



In earth's majestic solitude. Even here 



My heart doth open all itself to Thee ; 



In this immensity of loneliness, 



I feel thy hand upon me. To my ear 



The eternal thunder of the cataract brings 



Thy voice, and I am humbled as I hear. 



Dread torrent ! that with wonder and with fear, 

 Dost overwhelm the soul of him that looks 

 Upon thee, and dost bear it from itself : 

 704 



