HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



87 



of happy insect life, that its beauty most commends 

 itself; for then, methinks, 'tis at its very best. 



Its sinuous course extends through rich pastures 

 and mossy orchards, from the brook at the bottom of 

 our lovely valley, right away up and up, until it 

 widens out upon the breezy height some 900 feet or 

 more above the sea level. No unsheltered half-mile 

 course is this, for its steep banks are high, sur- 

 mounted with luxuriant liedges, and with lofty trees 

 o'er-arched, and even when "November chill blaws 

 loud wi' angry blast," the wanderer here may bid 

 defiance to the tempest. His upward glances may 

 discover the bowing and swaying of the tree-tops 

 before the forceful blast, which onward sweeps the 

 ruddy shower, and carpets the ground beneath with 

 glossy beech leaves ; but, through it all, as un- 

 disturbed his steps as separate his lot from the tumult 

 and harass of the outside world. Now and again, 

 sweet glimpses of the lofty hills and overhanging 

 woods afford him a foretaste of the treat in store 

 when he reaches I he topmost height, for his footsteps 

 lead him ever upward, until he emerges from the 

 shade into the breezy open, when what a glorious 

 prospect meets his eye ! Hills beyond hills, all 

 richly clothed with beech, and larch, and pine. 

 Here from this lofty ridge his eye embraces two 

 lovely valleys — thiSf " the Switzerland of England," 

 the most sequestered and richly-wooded of the two ; 

 the most steep and narrow ; and from wood to wood 

 and hill to hill the eye may rove, until hill, and wood, 

 and cloud, all harmoniously blend in a mellow hazy 

 .distance. That^ more open and wide-spreading, its 

 bounding hills more sweeping in their contour, but 

 yielding as fair a scene, and behind that swelling 

 down descends the westering sun ; and whilst the 

 steep valley slopes are sleeping in deep shado%\-, the 

 fleecy cloudlets glow in his rays, and give fair pro- 

 mise of a bright to-morrow. Across the valley there 

 is Painswick Hill — nearly the highest point in the 

 county — and from it we see on the one hand the 

 Vale of Glo'ster, the Severn, and far beyond — on the 

 other, the hills and woods — the towns of Gloucester 

 and Cheltenham ; and out there, in the purple dis- 

 tance, the lofty Malvern Hills. Such scenes as these 

 mark epochs in one's life. 



Here then, far removed from earth's hurly-burly, 

 rest awhile, inhale the breeze, fragrant with floral 

 odours innumerable, and rich with refreshment alike 

 to the jaded spirit and the weary body. No situation 

 more conducive to restful feelings than jthe summit of 

 some lofty eminence, some mountain peak, some 

 mighty swelling hill like this. Here on some turfy 

 couch reclining, at this high altitude one feels so 

 far removed from life's sore turmoil, the city's roar, 

 the strife of contending factions ; and soaring heaven- 

 ward, one strives to rise superior to the grovelling 

 things of earth. And yet, withal, how oft the 

 humbling thought obtrudes — How very, very small 

 am I ; yea, but an atom in an Universe. 



Cast the eye whithersoever one will it lights upon 

 woods. There lies the largest of them all, said to be 

 one of the most extensive in the kingdom ; and there, 

 where those advancing wooded slopes, which, from 

 opposite sides of the ravine upward climb towards 

 the sky, consecrated to peace and beauty, is my 

 favourite resort. 



Adown the steep hillside the pathway leads, until 

 we reach "the bottom." Here, sheltered in the 

 bosom of this lovely valley the outer world and I are 

 quit, and " every sense is joy." No storms — no chill- 

 ing blasts invade these bosky depths profound ;. 

 nor sight nor sound of higher animal life disturb the 

 stillness, save when the agile squirrel leaps from 

 branch to branch, or timid rabbit scampers across the 

 path, or jay's or magpie's discordant notes are heard. 



Yet let it not be thought that these solitudes are 

 untenanted, for a myriad host of insect atoms hum, 

 and flit, and flutter out their happy day in the genial 

 sun-rays of this insect paradise. Butterflies innumer- 

 able disport themselves, and a long chain of wood 

 ants' nests skirt the sunny edge of the gloomy larch 

 wood. This exuberance of insect life betokens an 

 equally redundant flora ; indeed, in all my wanderings 

 never before was it my hap to light upon such a 

 wealth of floral beauty, nor from the appearance of 

 the first flower until the last withering leaf has beer- 

 swept from the bare woods fails there a display of 

 Nature's most beautiful productions. I have some- 

 times thought that not a flower that blooms but here 

 finds its representative — methinks a harmless fancy, 

 and one that I delight in. 



Deep fringed with moisture-loving plants there, 

 too, meanders through this deep ravine a brooklet,, 

 and oft do I cast myself upon its mossy bank to con- 

 template the marvellous perfection of Nature's handi- 

 work. Call me not a visionary if I evoke bright 

 fantasies out of the sweet music of whispering winds — 

 the odours of thousand flowerets, and flutterings of 

 scaly wings in golden sunbeams. Not idly do I spend 

 my hour, for sadness I beguile, and homeward turn 

 my steps, mentally and physically refreshed. 



The picture has another side. Not always is the 

 silence thus unbroken — nor ever is the solitude replete 

 with gentle sounds, for when summer's bright-hued 

 floral pageant has vanished, the song of wild bird is 

 hushed, and the year, no longer young, has yielded 

 to the decrepitude of age, then the howling tempest 

 rages and threatens, and the lofty tree-tops, respond- 

 ing to the sweep of the wind, pour out such wild 

 music as thrills the listener beneath, and transports 

 him in imagination to the lonely sea-shore where 

 roaring billows toss and heave. Delightful transi- 

 tion ! 'tis Nature in her varying mood, and her wild 

 harmonies how sweet. 



Presage of blissful repose, comes the blessed even- 

 ing's fragrant breath, fitting termination this quiet 

 spot to a delightsome stroll. Here, then, wanderer, 

 rest, and whilst you gather " the harvest of a quiet 



