THE ABUSE AND PROTECTION OF ALPINES 133 



for Swiss and for foreigner ; alike for collector, 

 peasant, and tourist, this word holds the key to the 

 greater part of the necessity for the protection 

 of Alpine plants. It is the old, old story : men 

 mouth the word, but miss its finest flavour. Irre- 

 sistibly one is reminded of certain of Juste Olivier's 

 well-known lines : 



* . . . vraiment, quel sujet de satire ! 

 Alors qu'on voit tout un peuple en delire 

 Qui se dit libre. . . .' 



It is the old, old story : the story that has caused 

 jungle, *park,' and forest to be set aside for the 

 fauna of India, America, and Africa ; that has 

 necessitated a close time for birds ; that has required 

 a protective cordon to be drawn around the Matter- 

 horn ; and that has made it imperative to create 

 ' jardins-refuges ' for the flowers of the Alps — the 

 old, old story of licence being supposed to spell 

 liberty. If certain of the public think that hberty 

 is menaced by the Ligue Suisse, it is from a faulty 

 comprehension of the word's best meaning. The 

 Society makes no attack upon hberty. Why, 

 * Liberty's in every blow I' Every blow dealt by 

 the movement is dealt on the side of healthy enjoy- 

 ment and delight; every blow, therefore, is dealt 



