But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly _elements_, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?--Galatians, iv. 9. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the _elements_ shall melt with fervent heat.--II. Peter, iii. 10. I cavilled at the _elements_--what is earth? A huge congestion of unmethodized matter With but a skin of life--a mighty solid, Which nature’s prodigal of space provides For superficial uses; and what air? A motion and a pressure; fire? a change; And light? the language of the things called dumb. Last came the troubled question--what am I? A blade, a sapling of the growth of life Wherewith the outside of the earth is covered; A comprehensive atom, all the world In act of thought embracing; in the world A grain scarce filling a particular place. _Henry Taylor._ Father, I know my frame is all composed Of _elements_ that perish; and I know The bondage whereunto my grovelling soul Still turns, in spite of higher aspirations. Oh, grant me strength to burst the chains of sense! That in the _elemental_ wreck to come, I may not perish utterly, but live To praise and bless Thee for my great salvation. _Egone._ Let every _element_ rejoice; Ye thunders, burst with awful voice To Him who bade you roll. His praise in softened notes declare, Each whispering breeze of yielding air, And breathe it to the soul. _Ogilvie._ ENVY. Be not thou _envious_ against evil men, neither desire to be with them.--Proverbs, xxiv. 1. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before _envy_?--Proverbs, xxvii. 4. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for _envy_.--Mark, xv. 9, 10. For where _envying_ and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.--James, iii. 16. And next to him malicious _Envy_ rode Upon a ravenous wolfe, and still did chaw Between his cankered teeth a venomous tode, That all the poison ran about his jaw: But inwardly he chawed his own maw At neighbour’s wealth that made him ever sad, For death it was when any good he saw; And wept, that cause of weeping none he had; And when he heard of harme he waxed wondrous glad. _Spenser._ I _envy_ not their hap Whom favour doth advance; I take no pleasure in their pain That have less happy chance.