410 SOURCE OF A LIFE'S LIKING. 



recalled here the period of our early life, the narrow verdant 

 tract which We have just revisited, but because there, as at its 

 source, arose our life-long love and liking for our favourite 

 and allied pursuits. Like a fertilizing spring now hidden 

 underground, now re-appearing, our then awakened love for 

 things of nature has often since been buried, lost, to all appear- 

 ance, beneath the earthy weight of worldly care and forced 

 distasteful occupation ; but, like the same refreshing stream, 

 it has burst forth again at every interval of freedom, and now 

 broadly irrigates the level, and else perhaps barren plain which 

 borders on " the better country." Looking back, too, 

 not alone on our spring sunshine, but also on the early 

 frosts which appeared unkindly to cut off our promise, we seem 

 to perceive now that we arc enjoying autumn fruits which but 

 for those very frosts might never have been formed sacrificed, 

 perhaps, to leafing more abundant. Or, to illustrate what we 

 mean by a comparison more accordant with our prevailing 

 subject the butterfly, whose wings on their first expansion 

 have been rudely handled, battered by a hailstorm, or even 

 somewhat stinted by compression of its chrysalidan cover, may 

 show but shabby painting or lack-lustre plumage beside its 

 fellows, may be restricted even to less aspiring flights ; but 

 little need it envy its more gay companions, if yet able to flit 

 amongst the lowlier flowers, sip their honey, and enjoy the 

 sunshine and the balmy air, while its sobered colouring serves 

 to protect it from the capturing nets and preying bills 



