for that lengthy quote! I haven't read Wordsworth for a long time (I won't say how long!*g*) Since I am not a Christian, I find only one fault in Wordsworth's words, and that is "Trailing clouds of glory do we come..." I believe we come trailing a lot of things, but not necessarily 'clouds of glory': more like a mess of debts and corrections we need to make... but here I, too, digress. Perhaps the real benefit we have of contemplating the Elves, with their innate sense of wonder at Eru's creation and their ceaseless rapture at the beauty inherent in the natural world, is to gain a true understanding of Jesus' statement that "Ye must become as children to enter the kingdom of heaven". To be able to retain, or regain, that sense of wonder and delight which was our birthright as children, and yet continue to grow and develope as adults: this may be the greatest of all adventures and challenges we mortals face. It ain't easy to do, that's for sure! ;-)