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vol.1 p.94
the soil of the country, clay, or mud; and give a
correspondent tinge to the water.
In some things the fen and the pool agree.
They both take every thing in, and let nothing out. Each of
them is in summer a sink of putrefaction; and the receptacle
of all those unclean, misshapen forms in animal life, which
breed and batten in the impurities of stagnation;
Where putrefaction into life ferments,
And breathes destructive myriads.
Very different is the origin of the lake. It's
magnificent, and marble bed, formed in the caverns, and deep
recesses of rocky mountains, received originally the pure
pellucid waters of some rushing torrent, as it came first
from the hand of nature - arrested it's course, till the
spacious, and splendid bason was filled brimfull; and then
discharged the stream, unsullied, and undiminished, through
some winding vale, to form other lakes, or increase the
dignity of some imperial river. Here no impurities find
entrance, either of animal, or of vegetable life:
----- Non illic canna palustris,
Nec sterilis ulvae, nec acuta cuspide junci.
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