Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79. | | | | Thames, the River | | To Lady Fane on Her Grotto at Basildon, 1746 | | Richard Graves (1715–1804) |
| | | GLIDE smoothly on, thou silver Thames, | |
| Where Fane has fixed her calm retreat; | |
| Go pour thy tributary streams, | |
| To lave imperial Thetis’ feet. | |
| There when in flowery pride you come | 5 |
| Amid the courtiers of the main, | |
| And join within the mossy dome | |
| Old Tiber, Arno, or the Seine; | |
| When each ambitious stream shall boast | |
| The glories of its flattered lords; | 10 |
| What pomp adorns the Gallic coast, | |
| What Rome, or Tuscany affords; | |
| Then shalt thou speak (and sure thy tale | |
| Must check each partial torrent’s pride) | |
| What scenes adorn this flowery vale, | 15 |
| Through which thy happier currents glide. | |
| But when thy fond description tells | |
| The beauties of this grott divine,— | |
| What miracles are wrought by shells, | |
| Where nicest taste and fancy join,— | 20 |
| Thy story shall the goddess move | |
| To quit her empire of the main, | |
| Her throne of pearls, her coral grove, | |
| And live retired with thee and Fane. | | | | |
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