THE WOODS. 13 



seed; but that is the manner in which the 

 Creator operates. Because an oak-tree, for in- 

 stance, was not suddenly called into existence 

 loaded with leaves and acorns, but, through 

 millions of years, has been produced, is none the 

 less a creative act. 



Our vast ages are God's days. The computa- 

 tions of his calendar, are not to be fitted into 

 our petty almanacs. The philosophy of evolu- 

 tion clothes the Deity with greater grandeur 

 than the theory of sudden creations permits. It 

 enables us to see not only the plan or design of 

 the structure, but its upbuilding ; not only the 

 finished product, but the various steps of its 

 development. We are not merely moved to 

 throw up our hands in pious admiration of the 

 completed object, be it tree or man, but we are 

 moved to reverent wonder, or religious awe 

 when viewing the marvellous transformations 

 through which it was guided to completion. 

 When we study the evolution of any kind of 

 tree we are soon in the midst of a wonderland 

 of captivating charms. We thus enter the 

 laboratory of nature ; we see not only the mov- 

 ing wheels, but the " life within the vast ma- 

 chine ; " we may even realize a real presence 

 in leaf, and blade, and bloom, making and un- 

 making, till 



