

understood it, is a voice of worship. So, 

 from their first work for food and shelter, 

 men have steadily won from Nature gifts 

 of insight and knowledge and prophecy, 

 until now the mightiest secrets are whis- 

 pered by the trees to him who listens, and 

 the winds sometimes take up the burden of 

 prophecy and sing of a fellowship in which 

 all truth shall be a common possession. 



As I walk along the old highway, the 

 deepening shadows touch the familiar land- 

 scape with mystery; one landmark after 

 another vanishes until the lights in the 

 scattered farm-houses gleam like reflected 

 constellations. A deep silence fills the great 

 heavens and broods over the wide earth; 

 all things have become dim and strange; 

 and yet I feel no loneliness in the midst of 

 this star-lit solitude. The heavens shining 

 over me, and the scattered household fires 

 declare to me that fellowship of light in 

 which Nature holds out her hand to man 

 and leads him, step by step, to the un- 

 speakable splendours of her central sun. 



41 



