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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
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 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
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 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
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 POEM . 
 
 BY R. N. F. ^^ - ^^> ~^ 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 BY F. W. WILLETT. 
 
 
 1891. 
 
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 COPYRIGHT, IS'JI, 
 
 F. B. W 1 1. LETT. 
 


 Geneva, nursling of the 
 
 fragrant hills, 
 That keep thee like a babe 
 
 at mother's breast, 
 And feed thee from their 
 
 pure and secret rills, 
 And hold thee at thy play, 
 
 or hush to rest; 
 
With gladness beaming-, tilled with Nature's joys, 
 With dimpled smiles or rippling laughter graced, 
 
 In silence sleeping-, or elate with noise 
 Of chattering waves by wind-swept shores embraced; 
 
Beneath the light of stars, 
 or moon, or sun, 
 hi mimic storm, or hilled in 
 peace profound. 
 
 Each happy change 
 from grace to grace doth run. 
 And endless beauty 
 
 girdles thee around. 
 
One gracious heaven, silver, 
 
 gold and blue. 
 
 Bends o'er thy face with 
 
 benediction sweet; 
 
 And multiplied in every 
 
 form and hue. 
 
 Like God in souls, is mirrored 
 
 back complete. 
 

 Not thine the s^randeur of the 
 
 boisterous seas — 
 The place of heroes loving 
 
 storm and strife; 
 But there is home-like peace 
 
 beneath thy trees, 
 Where sacred mothers and 
 
 sweet babes tlnd life. 
 
And on thy grassy banks made cool with shade 
 Old age may rest, and happy lovers stray, 
 
 And all the woodland pets of naught afraid, 
 Rejoice in chorus at thy perfect dav. 
 
Oh, loveliest in a hind of 
 
 lovely lakes; 
 
 Clothed in thy wondrous robe 
 
 ot chanijeiul light, 
 
 Thy beauty is a spell; yetl 
 
 darkness makes 
 
 Not less the mystic beauty 
 
 of thy nig-ht. 
 
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.sas 
 
 LIBRARY OF CONGBESS