Alexandria Gazette

Miscellaneous.
THE CROTON ODE:
Written at the request of the Corporation of the City of New York,
By George P. Morris, Esq.
And sung in front of the Park Fountain, by the Members of the N. Y. Sacred Music Society, on the completion of THE CROTON AQUEDUCT.
Gushing from this living fountain,
Music pours a falling strain,
As the Goddess of the Mountain
Comes with all her sparkling train.
From her grotto springs advancing,
Glittering in her feathery spray,
Woodland lays beside her dancing,
She pursues her winding way.
Gently o'er the rippling water,
In her coral shallop bright,
Glides the rock-king's dove-eyed daughter,
Deck'd in robes of virgin white,
Nymphs and naiads, sweetly smiling
Urge her bark with pearly hand,
Merrily the sylph beguiling
From the nooks of fairy-land.
Swimming on the snow curl'd billow,
See the river spirits fair,
Lay they their cheeks as on a pillow
With the foam beads in their hair,
Thus attended, hither wending
Floats the lovely oread now.
Eden's arch of promise bending
Over her translucent brow.
Hail the wanderer from a far-land!
Bind her flowing tresses up!
Crown her with a fadeless garland,
And with chrystal brim the cup.
From her haunts of deep seclusion,
Let Temperance greet her too,
And the heat of his delusion
Sprinkle with this mountain dew
Water leaps as if delighted
While her conqueror does retire!
Pale Contagion flies affrighted
With the baffled demon Fire!
Safety dwells in her dominions,
Health and Beauty with her move
And entwine their circling pinions
In a sisterhood of love.
Water shouts a glad hosanna!
Bubbles up the earth to bless!
Cheers it like the precious manna,
In the barren wilderness
Here we wondering gaze, assembled
Like the Hebrew band,
When the hidden fountain trembled
And obeyed the prophet's wand.
Round the Aqueducts of story,
As the mists of Lethe throng,
Croton's waves, in all their glory,
Troop in melody along
Ever sparkling, bright and single,
Will this rock-ribbed stream appear,
When Posterity shall mingle
Like the gathered waters here.