The grateful earth her odours yield In homage, Mighty One, to Thee, From herbs and flowers in every field, From fruit on every tree; The balmy dew, at morn and even, Seems like the penitential tear, Shed only in the sight of Heaven,— All nature worships there! The cedar and the mountain pine, The willow on the fountain’s brim, The tulip and the eglantine, In reverence bend to Him; The song-birds pour their sweetest lays From tower, and tree, and middle air; The rushing river murmurs praise,— All nature worships there! Then talk not of a fane, save _one_, Built without hands, to mankind given. Its lamps are the meridian sun And all the stars of heaven; Its walls are the cerulean sky; Its floor the earth so green and fair; The dome is vast immensity,— All nature worships there! DAVID VEDDER. APPENDIX I. CHRONOLOGY OF ORCADIAN HISTORY TO THE END OF THE EARLDOM, WITH RELATED CONTEMPORARY EVENTS. Certain historians assign earlier dates than those given below to the events before 933. The chronology adopted here is that which harmonizes best with the dates of events in other lands during that period. Approximate dates are marked “c” (circa); events not directly connected with the Earldom are in square brackets, and their dates in lighter type. A.D. =78= (c.) Agricola’s visit to Orkney. 563. [Columba in Scotland.] =580= (c.) Cormac’s missionary journey to Orkney. 597. [Augustine in England.] 787. [First recorded appearance of Vikings in England.] 800 (c.) [First period of Norse colonization begins.] 841. [Rouen taken by the Norsemen.] 852. [Norse kingdom established in Dublin.] 862. [Rurik founds the Norse line in Russia.] 871. [Alfred the Great King of England.] 885. [Siege of Paris by the Norsemen.] =900.= Battle of Harfursfirth—Second period of Norse colonization begins. — [Iceland colonized by Norsemen.] =901= (c.) Harald Fairhair in Orkney—Earldom established. — Sigurd I. earl. =905= (c.) Battle with Maelbrigda of Ross—Sigurd’s death. — Guttorm, Sigurd’s son, earl. =907= (c.) Hallad, son of Rognvald, Earl of Moeri, earl. =910.= Einar I. (Torf Einar), Rognvald’s son, earl. 912. [Rolf or Rollo, Rognvald’s son, Duke of Normandy.] =933.= Arnkell, Erlend I., and Thorfinn I., Einar’s sons, joint-earls. 950. [King Eric (Bloody axe) expelled from Norway.] =954.= Eric and Earls Arnkell and Erlend fall at battle of Stainsmoor. =963.= Arnfinn, Havard, Ljot, and Hlodve, Thorfinn’s sons, joint-earls. =980.= Sigurd II. (the Stout), Hlodve’s son, earl. 980.