Hartshorne.] -L^" [Oct. 11, 



" Yet partial friendship to these lays 



Will not her ear refuse ; 

 And, if she cannot justly praise. 



Will labour to excuse." 



Dr. Wood embodied in this epic poem his calm and 

 deeply assured conviction of the truth and supreme 

 importance of the Christian religion, which underlaid 

 and supported the whole structure of his life. 



A few lines from "First and Last" may suffice to set. 

 this forth : 



" Lo ! from the cross on which the Sinless died, 

 How streams the light of life on every side ! 

 How penetrate remotest realms its rays. 

 Earth's darkest corners kindling into blaze ! 

 To every land the messengers of love, 

 The Lord's elect, commissioned from above, 

 Bear the glad tidings ; everywhere they sow 

 The seeds of truth, which, spirit-nurtured, grow 

 To a rich harvest. From each center spreads 

 The faith thus planted. 



" Yet, now this, now that 

 Prevails. But of the two does victory wait 

 Most frequently on good. By slow degrees 

 Faith spreads her conquests. Over lands and seas 

 Is borne the banner onward, till at last 

 All nations bow before it." 



Few men, of positive belief and devout feeling, make 

 so little outward profession of religicfti as did Dr. 

 Wood. But this is not difficult to account for. Not 

 only was he a man of much natural reserve, especially 

 in regard to the most sacred emotions of his heart, but 

 this disposition was promoted by circumstances. Born 

 into membership with the Society of Friends, and 



