THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER. 
329 
sight that the lessons of beauty and wonder 
which Nature teaches are bedimmed, and there¬ 
fore we drop our further searching. It is time 
now to build the altar and get ready the sacri¬ 
fice and the fire—to tune the harp and heart, 
and catch, if we can, the keynote of Nature’s 
doxology. The anthem began ^when the morn¬ 
ing stars sang together,, and all the sons of God 
shouted for joy.’ From that hour Nature has 
kept up the sublime chorus. Some stop their 
ears and will not hear, some are so dull that 
they hear but an uncertain sound, and some are 
so absorbed in lower desires that they hear but 
a faint echo at uncertain intervals; but whoever 
listens with quickened soul catches the clear 
swelling anthem coming up from all the round 
of creation : ‘ Praise ye the Lord from the heav¬ 
ens ; praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, 
all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts. 
Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all 
ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of 
heavens, and ye waters that be above the heav¬ 
ens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; 
for he commanded, and they were created. He 
hath also stablished them for ever and ever ; 
he hath made a decree which shall not pass. 
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