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Kickleburys on the Rhine, The (Large Print)
Kickleburys on the Rhine The - Large Print Author:William Makepeace Thackeray Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: neath us; the steamers weere roosting along the quays, a light keeping watch in the cabins here and there, and its reflections quivering in the water. As I look,... more » the sky line towards the east grows redder and redder. A long troop of grey horsemen winds down the river road, and passes over the bridge of boats. You might take them for ghosts, those grey horsemen, so shadowy do they look; but you hear the trample of their hoofs as they pass over the planks. Every minute the dawn twinkles up into the twilight, and over Deutz the heaven blushes brigther. The quays begin to fill with men: the carts begin to creak and rattle and wake the sleeping echoes. Ding, ding, ding, the steamers' bells begin to ring: the people on board to stir and wake: the lights may be extinguished , and take their turn of sleep: the active boats shake themselves, and push out into the river: the great bridge opens, and g'ves them passage: the church bells of the city begin to clink: the cavalry trumpets blow from the opposite bank: the sailor is at the wheel, the porter at his burthen, the soldier at his musket, and the priest at his prayers. And lo! in a flash of crimson splendour, with blazing scarlet clouds running before his chariot, and heralding his majestic approach, God's sun rises upon the world, and all nature wakens and brightens. 0 glorious spectacle of light and life! 0 beatific symbol of Power, Love, Joy, Beauty! Let us lookat thee with humble wonder, and thankfully acknowledge and adore. What gracious forethought is it—what generous and loving provision, that deigns to prepare for our eyes and to sooth our hearts with such a splendid morning festival! For these magnificent bounties of Heaven to us, let us be thankful, even that we can feel thankful; (for thanks surely is the noblest effort,...« less