FABLE XXII. THE WATER LILY.

I. WITHIN a crystal riv’let bright, Whose sides, with verdure crown’d, From shelving banks reflected wide The landscape bord’ring round, II. A Water Lily peaceful rear’d Her lovely, graceful head; And on the gently-heaving stream Her beauteous flow’rs were spread. III. Thence she beheld the banks with flow’rs Of various kinds array’d; And nodding trees, that far dispers’d Their over-hanging shade; IV. For there the lofty Poplar grew, Still mingling white with green; And there the rustling Aspin too With trembling leaves was seen. V. The Willow, nodding o’er the brook, Drinks deep the stream below; Cowslip and Primrose near at hand, And purple Iris glow. VI. The Lily saw, and to the lake Thus soft-complaining cry’d, While gentle Zephyrs bore the sound, Which spread from side to side: VII. “Ah hapless lot! while others bloom “On yonder happy shore, “Amongst their kindred tribes—my fate “Here lonely I deplore. VIII. “Condemn’d amid this watry waste “For ever to remain; “Nor taste the joys which others know “On yonder flow’ry plain.” IX. The Goddess of the Water heard, And Anger mov’d her heart; “How dar’st thou thus affront (she said) “The Pow’r by which thou ART? X. “Those other trees and flow’rs thou see’st, “All sprang from Mother Earth: “And grateful tribute ALL return “To Her who gave them birth. XI. “While thou, alas! should I withdraw “The least of this my store; “Shalt call on other Pow’rs in vain, “And sink, to rise no more. XII. “Beauteous thou art, nor meanly priz’d: “Then lay no blame on me; “Nor seek what, though it others bless, “Must surely ruin thee. XIII. “But still revere this facted truth, “Whatever may betide; “What Heav’n decrees is always best, “And all is bad beside.”