Born where blooms the Alpine rose,
    Cradled in the Boden—­see,[3]
  Forth the infant river flows,
    Leaping on in childish glee. 
  Coming to a riper age,
    He crowns his rocky cup with wine,
  And makes a gallant pilgrimage
    To many a ruin’d tower and shrine. 
  Strong and swift, and wild and brave,
  On he speeds with crested wave;
  And spurning aught like check or stay,
  Fights and foams along his way,
  O’er crag and shoal, until his flood
  Boils like manhood’s hasty blood!

  Older, broader, deeper grown,
  All romantic follies flown,
  Now the laden Beurtschiff sails
    Slowly o’er his sober tide,
  Which wanders on through fertile vales,
    And looks like Peace by Plenty’s side.

  Joy and strife, and labour past,
  In his grave he sinks at last! 
  Not the common river’s tomb—­
  Not the ocean’s mighty womb;
  Into earth he melts away,
  Like that very thing of clay,
  Man, whose brief and checker’d course
  He hath copied from his source.[4]

  Farewell thou “Father Rhine,” as they
  Who dwell beside thee fondly say,
  May thy delicious valley long
  Echo the sweet and grateful song. 
  Which ever round the goblet rose—­
  And well thy minstrel’s lay may close.

Y.O.S.

    [3] The Lake of Constance.

    [4] The Rhine loses itself in the sands of Holland before its waters
        can mingle with the sea.

* * * * *

KATERFELTO.

(To the Editor.)

In reply to the question of your correspondent—­“Who was Katerfelto?” I am enabled to offer the few brief particulars which follow.  With regard to his birth, parentage, and education, I am, however, not qualified to convey any information.  I know not “to whom he was related, or by whom forgot.”  I became acquainted with him about the year 1790 or 1791, when he visited the City of Durham, accompanied by his wife and daughter.  He then appeared to be about sixty years of age.  His travelling equipage consisted of an old rumbling coach, a pair of sorry hacks, and two black servants.  They wore green liveries with red collars, but the colours were sadly faded by long use.

Having taken suitable apartments, the black servants were sent round the town, blowing trumpets and delivering bills, announcing their master’s astonishing performances, which in the day time consisted in displaying the wonders of the microscope, &c. and in the evening in exhibiting electrical experiments, in the course of which he introduced his two celebrated black cats, generally denominated the Doctor’s Devils—­for, be it understood, that our hero went under the dignified style and title of Doctor Katerfelto.  Tricks of legerdemain concluded the evening’s entertainments.