Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Switzerland and Austria: Vol. XVI. 1876–79.

Introductory to Switzerland

The Crystal Hunters

By Thomas Moore (1779–1852)

O’ER mountains bright with snow and light,

We crystal hunters speed along,

While grots, and caves, and icy waves

Each, instant echo to our song;

And when we meet with stores of gems,

We grudge not kings their diadems.

O’er mountains bright, etc.

No lover half so fondly dreams

Of sparkles from his lady’s eyes,

As we of those refreshing gleams

That tell where deep the crystal lies;

Though, next to crystal, we too grant

That ladies’ eyes may most enchant.

O’er mountains bright, etc.

Sometimes, when o’er the Alpine rose

The golden sunset leaves its ray,

So like a gem the floweret glows,

We thither bend our headlong way;

And though we find no treasure there,

We bless the rose that shines so fair.

O’er mountains bright, etc.