Majestic greatness sits, Niagara, upon thy brow,
And o’er thy rocks in thundering grandeur roll; —
We gaze, in silent wonder wrapped and humbly bow,
To thee, O God, who thus doth thrill our inmost soul.

From Albany, New York, Sept. 30, 1847.

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Oh! not to sing presumptuous praise,
In studied words and measured lays,
‡‡This scene survey —
Omnipotence is imaged here,
Let vainer homage disappear,
‡‡And kneel and pray.

 

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Tell them I AM, Jehovah said:
Niagara’s waters heard with dread,
And smitten to the heart,
At once, above, beneath, around,
The Cataract, in thundering sound,
Replied ― “O Lord, THOU ART!”

 

Jos. H. Patten is from New York.

 

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

At morn the rising God of day
‡‡Unveils this temple to our eyes ―
‡‡Incense ascending to the skies
Bids man his grateful homage pay
To God, at whose supreme command
‡‡The waters war, and dash, and leap,
‡‡And, thundering down this awful steep,
Whirl furiously along the strand
Below ― before three altars now,
‡‡We bend the knee ― three mighty Falls ―
‡‡Faint type of Him who on us calls
Before the Three in One to bow!

 

Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

Roll on, Niagara, thou mighty cataract,
Magnificent memento of the power of God!
Thy changeless song of praise commenced with time,
And will continue to eternity.

On this, the morning that commemorates
The resurrection of the Son of God —
The hour when Christians meet to worship Him —
I hail thee with astonishment and awe.

This poem by Francis Duncan was found in the Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848

This link takes you to the scanned version of  the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust

See the Table of Contents of the Table Rock Album on this site.

It is possible that Francis Duncan was the Royal Artillery Officer and later British MP. He is known to have been in Canada by 1861. The entry in Table Rock Album is undated, but this edition was published in 1856. Read about Duncan here