Thomas Stothard's "The Fountain" (original) (raw)

Lines Illustrated

It was a well
Of whitest marble, white as from the quarry;
And richly wrought with many a high relief,
Greek sculpture — in some earlier day perhaps
A tomb, and honoured with a hero's ashes.
The water from the rock filled and overflowed;
Then dashed away, playing the prodigal,
And soon was lost — stealing unseen, unheard. . .
Many a nymph appeared.
Appeared and vanished, bearing on her head
Her earthen pitcher. It called up the day
Ulysses landed there; and long I gazed.
Like one awaking in a distant time.

At length there came the loveliest of them all,
Her little brother dancing down before her;
And ever as he spoke, which he did ever,
Turning and looking up in warmth of heart
And brotherly affection. Stopping there.
She joined her rosy hands, and, filling them
With the pure element, gave him to drink;
And, while he quenched his thirst, standing on tiptoe.
Looked down upon him with a sister's smile,
Nor stirred till he had done, fixed as a statue.

Then hadst thou seen them as they stood, Canova,
Thou hadst endowed them with immortal youth;
And they had evermore lived undivided.
Winning all hearts— of all thy works the fairest. [175-77]

Bibliography

Rogers, Samuel. Italy, A Poem. London: T. Cadell and E. Moxon, 1830.

Last modified 6 February 2018