WOOD-PATHS. 287 



these wildings are the flowers that Nature strewed at her 

 feet when she first stepped out of paradise to bless and 

 beautify the earth. No spaded soil about the roots of the 

 flowering shrubs indicates their petted value to some pro- 

 prietor; no nicely cut turf at the borders of the path 

 shows the exercise of the topiary art, and the consequent 

 exclusion of nature and freedom. 



The flowers that peep out from this grassy path and its 

 tangled borders are eclipsed in splendor by the prouder 

 ones of the garden. They are lovely in their wildness 

 and spontaneous grouping ; but, like the stars of heaven, 

 they affect the imagination more than the sight. Though 

 fashion may contemn their beauty, nature cherishes and 

 preserves them ; and to a poetic eye they have charms 

 that cannot be heightened by art. For everything that 

 blossoms here, or greens the turf, or jewels the trees and 

 shrubbery with purple and scarlet fruit, or scatters incense 

 in their path, was present at the bridal of the earth and 

 sky. The gales that have always swept through these 

 trees are familiar with their perfume ; morning and even- 

 ing greet them, and are acquainted with their beauty ; the 

 little brooks know them; sunshine and shadows have 

 played and fondled with them; the wild bee has sipped 

 of their honey, and the birds have nestled in their foliage. 



In these fern-embroidered aisles and under these foli- 

 ated arches, where the birds have warbled ever since the 

 morning stars sung together, here will we linger when 

 we would worship in Nature's sanctuary, and draw from 

 her an inspiration that will make the scenes of earth as 

 delightful as those of romance. "We will seek the wood- 

 haunts of the Naiad, where she sits by her fountain, dis- 

 tributing her favors to herb, tree, and flower, and among 

 these dripping dells we will greet her as the "mother of 

 dews." We will drink of her waters with the thrush and 

 the wood-pigeon, and bear home baptismal drops from her 



