Ah ! surely such strange power is given 
To lowly flowers, like flew from heaven. 
For lessons oft by them are brought 
Deeper than mortal sage hath taught — 
Lessons of wisdom pure that rise 
From some clear fountain in the skies. 
Fairest of Flora’s lovely daughters 
That bloom by stilly-running waters, 
Fair Lily ! 5 thou a tpye must be 
Qf virgin love and purity ! 
Fragrant thou art as any flower 
That decks a lady’s garden bower ; 
But he who would thy sweetness know, 
Must stoop and bend his loving brow 
To catch thy scent so faint and rare, 
Scarce breathed upon the Summer air ; 
And all thy motions too — how free. 
And yet how fraught with sympathy ; 
So pale thy tint, so meek thy gleam. 
Shed on thy kindly father stream. 
Still as he swayeth to and fro 
How true in all thy goings, 
As if thy very soul did know 
The secret of his flowings. 
And then that heart of living gold$ 
Which thou doth modestly enfold. 
And screen from man’s too piercing vie\y 
Within thy robe of snowy hue. 
To careless minds thou seemst to roam 
Abroad upon the river ; — 
In all thy movements chained to home, 
Fast rooted there for ever ; 
Linked by a holy, hidden tie. 
Too holy for a mortal’s eye, 
Nor riveted by mortal art. 
Deep down within thy father’s heart ! 
Emblem in truth thou art to me 
Of all a woman ought to be 1 
How shall I liken thee, sweet Flower ! 
That other men may feel thy power. 
May seek thee on some lovely night, 
And say how strong, how chaste the might, 
The tie of filial duty — 
How graceful too, and angel bright 
The pride of lowly beauty 1 
Thou sittest on the varying tide. 
As if thy spirit did preside. 
With a becoming queenly grace. 
As mistress of this lonely place. 
A quiet magic hast thou now 
To smooth the river’s ruffled brow. 
And still his rippling water — 
And yet so delicate and airy. 
Thou art to him a very fairy, 
A widowed Father’s only daughter, 
FRED. WM. FABER. 
Univ. Coll. 
Uymphcca alba, t. 181. 
6 See t, 182, fig. 1, c. ; and fig. 2, c, 
