To hew^{2 the shaft3 and lay the architrave}

And spread the roof above themere he framed

The lofty vault^{4 to gather and roll back}

The sound of anthems^{5； in the darkling wood}

Amidst the cool and silence he knelt down

And offered to the Mightiest^{6 solemn thanks}

And supplication^{7. For his simple heart}

Might not resist the sacred influences

Which from the stilly twilight^{8 of the place}

And from the gray old trunks that high in heaven

Mingled^{9 their mossy boughs10 and from the sound}

Of the invisible breath that swayed at once

All their green TOPs stole over him and bowed

His spirit with the thought of boundless^{11 power}

And inaccessible^{12 majesty13. Ah why}

Should we in the world's riper years neglect

God's ancient sanctuaries^{14 and adore}

only among the crowd and under roofs

That our frail^{15 hands have raised？ Let me at least}

Here in the shadow of this aged^{16 wood}

Offer one hymnthrice happy if it find

Acceptance in His ear.

Father thy hand

Hath reared these venerable columns thou

Didst weave this verdant^{17 roof. Thou didst look down}

Upon the naked earth and forthwith rose

All these fair ranks of trees. They in thy sun

Budded and shook their green leaves in thy breeze

And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow

Whose birth was in their TOPs grew old and died

Among their branches till at last they stood

As now they stand massy and tall and dark

Fit shrine^{19 for humble20 worshipper to hold}

Communion with his Maker^{21. These dim vaults22}

These winding^{23 aisles24 of human pomp or pride}

Report not. No fantastic carvings^{25 show}

The boast of our vain race to change the form

Of thy fair works. But thou art herethou fill'st

The solitude^{26. Thou art in the soft winds}

That run along the summit of these trees

In music； thou art in the cooler breath

That from the inmost darkness of the place

Comes scarcely felt； the barky trunks the ground

The fresh moist ground are all instinct with thee.

Here is continual worship；Nature here

In the tranquillity^{27 that thou dost love}

Enjoys thy presence. Noiselessly around

From perch^{28 to perch the solitary29 bird}

Passes； and yon clear spring that midst its herbs

Wells softly forth^{18 and wandering steeps the roots}

Of half the mighty^{30 forest tells no tale}

Of all the good it does. Thou hast not left

Thyself without a witness in these shades

Of thy perfections. Grandeur^{31 strength and grace}

Are here to speak of thee. This mighty oak

By whose immovable stem I stand and seem

Almost annihilatednot a prince

In all that proud old world beyond the deep

E'er wore his crown as loftily as he

Wears the green coronal of leaves with which

Thy hand has graced him. Nestled at his root

Is beauty such as blooms not in the glare

Of the broad sun. That delicate forest flower

With scented^{32 breath and look so like a smile}

Seems as it issues from the shapeless mould

An emanation of the indwelling Life

A visible token of the upholding Love

That are the soul of this great universe.

My heart is awed^{33 within me when I think}

Of the great miracle that still goes on

In silence round methe perpetual work

Of thy creation finished yet renewed

Forever. Written on thy works I read

The lesson of thy own eternity^34.

Lo！ all grow old and diebut see again

How on the faltering^{35 footsteps of decay}

Youth presses ever-gay and beautiful youth

In all its beautiful forms. These lofty trees

Wave not less proudly that their ancestors

Moulder^{36 beneath them. O there is not lost}

One of earth's charms： upon her bosom^{37 yet}

After the flight of untold^{38 centuries}

The freshness of her far beginning lies

And yet shall lie. Life mocks the idle hate

Of his arch-enemy Deathyea seats himself

Upon the tyrant's thronethe sepulchre

And of the triumphs of his ghastly foe³⁹

Makes his own nourishment^{40. For he came forth}

From thine own bosom and shall have no end.

There have been holy men who hid themselves

Deep in the woody wilderness^{41 and gave}

Their lives to thought and prayer till they outlived

The generation born with them nor seemed

Less aged than the hoary^{42 trees and rocks}

Around them；and there have been holy men

Who deemed it were not well to pass life thus.

But let me often to these solitudes⁴³

Retire and in thy presence reassure⁴⁴

My feeble virtue^{45. Here its enemies}

The passions at thy plainer footsteps shrink

And tremble and are still. O God！ when thou

Dost scare the world with tempests set on fire

The heavens with falling thunderbolts or fill

With all the waters of the firmament⁴⁶

The swift dark whirlwind that uproots^{47 the woods}

And drowns the villages； when at thy call

Uprises the great deep and throws himself

Upon the continent and overwhelms

Its citieswho forgets not at the sight

Of these tremendous tokens of thy power

His pride and lays his strifes and follies^{48 by？}

O from these sterner aspects of thy face

Spare me and mine nor let us need the wrath⁴⁹

Of the mad unchaind elements to teach

Who rules them. Be it ours to meditate⁵⁰

In these calm shades thy milder majesty

And to the beautiful order of thy works

Learn to conform the order of our lives.