Boast not thyself, Niagara, ‡‡That thy deep song shall ne’er be o’er ―
The archangel’s voice shall yet proclaim ‡‡That thou and time shall be no more.
Boast not thyself, though God hath set ‡‡His seal of glory on thee now;
For He shall veil thy glory yet, ‡‡And take the rainbow from thy brow.
Thou, thou may’st sing a requiem o’er ‡‡The grave of millions yet unborn;
Thy sun of glory too shall set ― ‡‡The universe for thee shall mourn.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
Niagara’s mighty waters, rushing by,
That stun the sense, and yet delight the eye,
Whose breakers dashing on the rugged rock,
With thundering uproar, and with deafening shock,
Awaken feelings never known before,
And fill the memory with an endless store
Of fancies and of thoughts that ne’er can die,
But treasured in the heart forever lie.
The white foam dancing and the clouds of spray
That boil beneath me and around me play,
The circling rainbows with their vivid dyes,
Like fairy forms from out the waters rise,
Deck’d with those tints, so pure and all so bright,
They seem like rays of heaven’s own hallowed light;
All, all unveil, and place within my sight
The great Creator in his matchless might.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
I have been to “Termination Rock,”
Where many have been before;
But as I can’t describe the scene,
I won’t say any more.
Anonymous
If you cannot describe the scene —
Which all should much deplore —
Inferior bards should drop their pens — Their verse would be a bore.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
‡‡‡‡‡‡“A young salmon, one day, ‡‡‡‡‡‡To his mother did say,
“I should very much like a nice leap through the spray.” ‡‡‡‡‡‡The old lady said, “Why, ‡‡‡‡‡‡If you like you may try;
But I guess that the jump will be found rather high.” ‡‡‡‡‡‡Then she just took a peep, ‡‡‡‡‡‡But thought it too deep;
“No, no,” said mamma, “Catch a weasel asleep — ‡‡‡‡‡‡Mind, child, if you go ‡‡‡‡‡‡To the realms below,
What will become of you then I don’t know.” — ‡‡‡‡‡‡But the young fish, so wise, ‡‡‡‡‡‡Did its mother despise,
And being adventurous straightforward tries. ‡‡‡‡‡‡Soon it fell from the edge, ‡‡‡‡‡‡And got dashed on a ledge,
Whence an Indian to bring it back soon gave a pledge. ‡‡‡‡‡‡The Indian so brave ‡‡‡‡‡‡His pledged honor to save,
Found a path by the rock out of reach of the wave; ‡‡‡‡‡‡Through spray and through squall, ‡‡‡‡‡‡He returned — fish and all;
And he was the first that went under the Fall. ‡‡‡‡‡‡Mr. Forsyth then came, ‡‡‡‡‡‡And went under the same,
And thus to posterity handing his name. ‡‡‡‡‡‡What after befell, ‡‡‡‡‡‡The guides best can tell — I went, with my wife; and we both liked it well!
October 24, 1839. H. Sylvester is from the Vicarage, Buckingham, England.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
All ye perturbed souls, that go,
With restless footsteps to and fro,
Running here, and scudding there,
Backward, forward, everywhere —
Ye who haste, in double time,
From every region, every clime,
Hold, one moment — pray ye, stay,
And harken what I’ve got to say:
Restless spirits, tranquil sleep,
Invade not ye my sacred keep; Come not to Niagara Fall,
To scribble nonsense, scratch and scrawl.
Go, your footsteps trespass, rude,
On my awful solitude —
Go, ye little reptiles vain,
Go, and get ye home again.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
