| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
| |
| To the Nautilus |
| | | Hartley Coleridge (1796–1849) |
| |
| |
| WHERE Ausonian summers glowing | |
| Warm the deep to life and joyance, | |
| And gentle zephyrs, nimbly blowing, | |
| Wanton with the waves that flowing | |
| By many a land of ancient glory, | 5 |
| And many an isle renown’d in story, | |
| Leap along with gladsome buoyance, | |
| There, Marinere, | |
| Dost thou appear | |
| In faery pinnace gaily flashing, | 10 |
| Through the white foam proudly dashing, | |
| The joyous playmate of the buxom breeze, | |
| The fearless fondling of the mighty seas. | |
| |
| Thou the light sail boldly spreadest, | |
| O’er the furrow’d waters gliding, | 15 |
| Thou nor wreck nor foeman dreadest, | |
| Thou nor helm nor compass needest, | |
| While the sun is bright above thee, | |
| While the bounding surges love thee: | |
| In their deepening bosoms hiding | 20 |
| Thou canst not fear, | |
| Small Marinere, | |
| For though the tides with restless motion | |
| Bear thee to the desert ocean, | |
| Far as the ocean stretches to the sky, | 25 |
| ’T is all thine own, ’t is all thy empery. | |
| |
| Lame is art, and her endeavor | |
| Follows nature’s course but slowly, | |
| Guessing, toiling, seeking ever, | |
| Still improving, perfect never; | 30 |
| Little Nautilus, thou showest | |
| Deeper wisdom than thou knowest, | |
| Lore, which man should study lowly: | |
| Bold faith and cheer, | |
| Small Marinere, | 35 |
| Are thine within thy pearly dwelling: | |
| Thine, a law of life compelling, | |
| Obedience, perfect, simple, glad and free, | |
| To the great will that animates to sea. | |
| |
|
|
|
