CONGENIAL TO A COUNTRY LIFE. 121 



of intellectual gratification than that which they 

 afford. 



(67.) The amusements of the county are gene- 

 rally expensive. Field sports cannot be followed with- 

 out horses, and dogs, and guns ; and these lead us not 

 unfrequently into the society of men with whom we 

 have no other feelings in common. But the quiet 

 student of nature has no need of such paraphernalia . 

 the few implements of his chase are easily and 

 cheaply procured ; nor is he called to celebrate his 

 feats over deep potations, or to make them the sub- 

 ject of boisterous mirth : his pleasures are intel- 

 lectual, and therefore tranquil. Seldom, indeed, 

 does he meet, if far removed from towns, with com- 

 panions like himself, with whom, at the close of day, 

 he can talk over its events ; but, if he be a man of 

 leisure, occasional intercourse with such congenial 

 spirits can generally be accomplished. Short ex- 

 cursions, even for a day, may be compassed, even 

 by the most busy. A new district may be resorted 

 to, and explored. Similarity of pursuits not only 

 elicits information, but animates zeal ; and we return 

 to our solitary walks with renewed vigour. Nor 

 are the pursuits of the country naturalist altogether 

 inapplicable to practical uses. The various injuries 

 which affect the produce of his garden or his fields, 

 call for his investigation, and may frequently be 

 remedied by his care. How much damage, for 

 instance, is annually done to our fruit-trees by their 

 insect-enemies, few or none of which are thoroughly 

 understood. We scarcely know a publication which 

 would be more useful, or more generally popular, 

 than one which should be devoted to the history of 



