Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/457

Rh folks-festivals, like those of Switzerland, homes, such as my Swiss house by the Living-Waters, unite to liberate this peculiar, yet fettered national beauty, then will Italy assuredly become that which one of its noblest sons prophetically beheld, many centuries back, “Common soil, daughter and mother of all lands alike, elect of the gods to make heaven more beautiful, to collect scattered mankind, to soften the manners, to make a brotherhood of nations separated by barbarous tongues, to give to all a human sociability and amiability, and to become a common father-land to all the nations of the earth.” But He who gave to the peoples the ability to supply each other's wants, who called all to become members of one great family, voices in one great harmony, who gave to one and all of us small human beings, his part and his vocation in the common work; who gave us in it infinite pleasure to husband, for ourselves and for others, for all, for the hour, and for eternity; who gave us to enjoy the dew-drop and the sun, the little bickering, and the kiss of love and fidelity unto death; labor for Him and rest in Him. Him let us praise; and let us pray Him that His Kingdom may come!

And now good-night, my R——.

seems to have been at the height of its prosperity when, in the year 63, A. D.; a great