“I thank thee for strength,” said Tubal. “I thank thee for the comeliness of this earth,” said Ariel. “Give me power to rule my fellow-men.” “Give me knowledge to win thy love.” “Give me honor, and obedience, with fear—” “Give me humility, and trust, with faith—” —“and may my will be a law unto many.” —“and may my walk be good in thy sight.” “Father, I thank thee for these limbs; this body, so perfect in its make—” “Father, I thank thee for this life, so full of all excellence—” —“clothe it with majesty.” —“clothe it with purity.” “Grant that I may live in the speech of generations far removed.” “Grant that I may live in the hearts of generations far removed.” “Bless, O God, my purpose.” “Bless, O God, my father.” “Strengthen, O God, my hands”— “Strengthen, O God, my mother”— —“so that they may well perform what thou hast given them to do.” —“so that she may well perform what thou hast given her to do.” “And accept, O God, these gifts, the fruit of thy bounty, by us acknowledged and adored.” SECTION VI. Upon the brothers, thus ending, a light, greater than the sun, fell suddenly and smote them blind; and as they lay, prostrate with excessive dread, they heard a voice, soft as the movement of a gentle wind, saying, “Even as ye have asked, ye shall receive;” and then came silence, and darkness with the light of day; and slowly rising, fearful, they found the altar, with its gifts, all consumed. And where the altar stood, a glowing pool of metal burned, and hissed, and bubbled, and ran down the hill-side a thread of fire. Tubal, curious, doubting, with cautious step drew near; and as the metal cooled, and changed from white to red, from red to black, observed it narrowly, and beat upon it, and found it malleable, and broke it, and took it in his hands still warm, and held it out in triumph to his brother. Such was the birth of iron; and in the air, above, beneath, on either side, far off and near, came music, and the brothers listened, mute with wonder, to a song prophetic of the metal and its uses. SECTION VII. Clink, clank. The crackling of flame, playing with the air that fanned it, swept past. Glowing, flashing. Not speech, but sounds inarticulate, in strains wild, sturdy and noble as their subject, filled the ears of Ariel and his brother, to be interpreted as we interpret the voices of matter, miscalled dumb. Clashing, clanging. And there was a rushing to and fro of many feet, while the furnace roared with a pouring as of breath in hot haste. Bubble, bubble—muffled, dull and deep. The anvil rings, and blow on blow is given. Sharp and quick.