/ WAS .sr.i/:/ /./■/). 81 



Durin<»' iliis time of crloHi; w.'iicliiiio-, ll; li;i])- 

 IxMicd i\\:\i for a d'.iy or two I vvjih ol)lin(;(l to 

 iM:i,k(^ my visit mIoihi. Why is it tli:i,t solitude in 

 th(^ (l(^|>tlis of the lorc^st li:is ho inyHt(;i'iouH ;iu 

 (^ITcct oil tli(^ iin:i|;iii;itioii ? Oiu^ drcs'uls to iiialvc; 

 :i, noise, :iii(l tlioii^^li li:ivi!i<i;- iiotliiii^- to fear, li(3 

 instiiietiv<vly st(!:ilH jil)oiit as if livery tre(i (H>n- 

 ee.'iled .'i, fo(». 'I'Ik^ (irst iiioriiinij;- I sjuintorod 

 :iloii<j;- tlie lonely patlis in silence, adinlrin^' for 

 tli(^ liundfedtli time tlic^ triinlvs of IJh^ tr(!es, with 

 their vaiied (huiorntions of liolien and Iheii* 

 Htat(dy nioHH-f^rown instopH, and pjuiHlnj;' a mo- 

 ment Ix'foro iho bnttornut wliic^h hnd divided 

 itH(df in eaily yontli, and now sii|)i)ofted n])()n 

 on<^ rool tlire(i t:dl .'iiid far-s|)i(iadin«j^ tiHU's. I 

 Ii.'id not he.-ii-d tli<^ wren ; .-ind indeed th(^ birds 

 seemed nimsiinlly silent, tlu; S(|niri'els appejired 

 to be :isl(M'p in tluMi* nests, :ind noj; :i leaf was 

 stirrini;-. Wordswortlfs admoniiion eamo into 

 my mind : — 



" MoVO uloilf^' (,ll(lS() h1|U(I(1S 



III piillciiosH of luMirl, ; willi noiiilo hand 

 'I'oiicli lor ilioni iH ;i. spiiii in iJn^ woods." 



Suddenly soniethiii*;- sj)ran<;' ont from nndcn* a 

 tree, as 1 passed, jork(ul at my ^own, and ran 

 after with noisy footstc^ps. 1 started, and 

 (jniekly tnrned to face my nssailant, (^xpeetin<j^ 

 to see a bear at l(\'ist. 1 found instead — a dead 

 braneb vvlileh bad (';in«;lit in my <lress and wjis 



