The meadows; thence, o'erbridged and caught and fastened

To wheels, to grind and grind with irksome noise,

To lose all liberty, all winsome frolic,

And work till doomsday. On and on the stream

Goes widening into calm and mighty strength,

A hero of a stream, that bears the ships

Like toys, and carries legions.

Wider still

He grows, and stronger, as he drags the waters

Of hundred rivers with him to the sea.

At last his course is sluggish, tired, slow,

A living death, till, blended with the sea,

A rising tide will carry him away

Into oblivion. Such is life! A stream

{15}

From unknown heights through storm and dangerous fall,

Through unknown land and never-ending work

Unto Eternity's great, unknown sea.

You cannot rise above the height you come from,

You only widen and expand—but downwards,—

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