54 Mature Studies in Berfcsbire. 



that are fragrant with woody odours, that one inclines 

 that way. 



Straight on, the clear, clean ridge cutting the sky 

 prophesies a good outlook across to the mountains. 

 To the left lie some youthful pines, hobnobbing with 

 young birches, under whose branches, just leafy 

 enough to cast a shade, one may stretch upon the 

 turf and hear the idle gossip of the winds. Hither I 

 love best to stray. I have a natural affinity for pines, 

 and there is no better accompaniment for an hour's 

 day-dream over the landscape than the voice of these 

 half-human trees. With that sound in one's ears it 

 were possible to paint almost any fancy-picture of the 

 land which lies behind those eastern hills. 



I wonder if other people happen to share my pre- 

 ference for particular points of the compass ? From 

 my childhood I have loved the east better than any 

 other point, and the horizon where the sun begins 

 his day has a distinct claim over all the rest of the 

 circle. Perhaps it is because, when a little boy, I 

 used to gaze over the eastern hills from the garret 

 windows of my father's house, and long for a glimpse 

 of the fascinating ocean, which I knew was forty 

 miles away beyond those ridges. I never confided 

 this prejudice to anyone. So I cannot say whether 

 it is a common one. But perhaps Mr. Francis Galton, 

 who has discovered so many curious freaks of the 

 human intellect, hatred of certain colours, passionate 

 love for odd numbers or even, association of colour with 

 days of the week, might tell us that this is no un- 



