Beautiful they were in sooth, The old man and the fiery youth! The old man, in whose busy brain Many a ship that sailed the main Was modelled o'er and o'er again;-- The fiery youth, who was to be The heir of his dexterity, The heir of his house and his daughter's hand, When he had built and launched from land What the elder head had planned. 'Thus,' said he, 'will we build this ship! Lay square the blocks upon the slip, And follow well this plan of mine: Choose the timbers with greatest care, Of all that is unsound beware; For only what is sound and strong To this vessel shall belong. Cedar of Maine and Georgia pine Here together shall combine. A goodly frame and a goodly fame, And the UNION be her name! For the day that gives her to the sea Shall give my daughter unto thee!'" Under such auspices the vessel grows day by day. The mention of the tall masts, and the slender spars, carry the imagination of the poet to the forest where the pine-trees grew. We cannot follow him in this excursion, but here is a noble description of some part of the process of the building of the ship:-- "With oaken brace and copper band Lay the rudder on the sand, That, like a thought, should have control Over the movement of the whole; And near it the anchor, whose giant hand Should reach down and grapple with the land, And immovable, and fast Hold the great ship against the bellowing blast!" At length all is finished--the vessel is built:-- "There she stands, With her foot upon the sands, Decked with flags and streamers gay, In honour of her marriage-day; Her snow-white signals fluttering, blending, Round her like a veil descending, Ready to be The bride of the grey old sea. On the deck another bride Is standing by her lover's side, Shadows from the flags and shrouds, Like the shadows cast by clouds, Broken by many a sunny fleck, Fall around them on the deck. * * * * * Then the master With a gesture of command, Waved his hand. And at the word, Loud and sudden there was heard, All around them and below, The sound of hammers, blow on blow, Knocking away the shores and spurs. And see! she stirs! She starts--she moves--she seems to feel The thrill of life along her keel, And spurning with her foot the ground, With one exulting joyous bound She leaps into the ocean's arms! And lo! from the assembled crowd There rose a shout prolonged and loud, That to the ocean seemed to say-- 'Take her, O bridegroom old and grey, Take her to thy protecting arms, With all her youth and all her charms!' How beautiful she is! How fair She lies within those arms that press Her form with many a soft caress Of tenderness and watchful care!