60 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



"Where, thick and tall, the forest's monarchs stood, 



head 



The ancient oak, whose -top for ages past 



Had braved the lightning's blaze and winter's blast; 



Bows to the potent steel, and side by side 



-T-hc mountain pine, whor-c vortex pierced the sky,- 



The elm's broad shade, the pine's imperial pride. 



With tlumd'i'ing noise came crashing trom on high.- 



spread its un pierced 



"Where once the forest stood with piorcolcM gloom, 

 See cornfields rise, and smiling orchards bloom; 



s embank 



See verdant meadows skirt the river-side. 

 And rip'ning harvests wave their golden pride; 

 See verdure crown the rugged mountain-brow, 



And 



WfeWe- crystal streams through spreading pastures flow. 



cheerful gem the enamell'd 



See^ hamlets rise with ncatncao o'er tho plain, 

 And future cities skirt the spreading main. 



havens, 



Lo ! mighty rivers, harbors straits, and seas, 

 Which long had useless rolled 'mid rocks and trees, 

 Beneath the weight of ships, indignant roar, 

 And crystal waters feel the dashing oar. 

 Wide o'er the land the spreading people roam, 

 And seek in unknown wilds their future home, 

 Full a 



femanyjeagues- along the ocean's strand, 



Full a 



la-manyjeagues-amid the forest land, 



rove, 

 Where'er they -g^- the strong, prolific soil 



harvest smiles beneath 



With ample crops rewards their -bftydy- toil." 



This poem was published, with a complimentary 

 notice from the editor, in the " New England Palla- 

 dium" of Boston. It is unnecessary to say more of 

 Mr. Silliman's efforts in poetry. He had too just an 

 idea of his own powers to aspire to fame in this 

 species of composition. Now and then, at later 

 periods in life, he wrote verses for the gratification 

 of friends, or as a natural expression of his own emo- 

 tions on some occasion of particular interest. Many 

 years after these early productions were written, and 

 when he had become absorbed in scientific pursuits, 

 his friend Mrs. Sigourney, then Miss Huntley, in an 



