"TRESPASSERS" 107 



Here on this old Chester Road long ago tramped 

 flat by feet of Roman legionaries marching Chester- 

 wards Chester, their castra, supreme among many 

 camps we tramp after them on this 26th December, 

 1904; after them in time, albeit in a sense with them 

 still. Great tramps were these Romans ; they tramped 

 hither from Rome ; and while the excursive spirit 

 lasted, they throve from the fringe of empire to the 

 centre. So we go with them ; for we too in our 

 way have the excursive spirit. 



By the excursive spirit I do not mean that mind 

 that plans a time, a place, a route, and some set 

 objective which, having been attained, there follows 

 again time, place, and route, as in some programme 

 of ceremonies. He who would know the excursive 

 spirit should be all but absolute in his ways. Roads 

 may serve, but must not bind him ; he will break no 

 man's enclosure, trample no man's crops, and obtrude 

 himself upon no man's privacy ; but he will claim to 

 set his foot upon every square inch of free soil : for 

 neither he nor the land is enslaved. Without any 

 predetermined destination he will roam as chance or 

 passing choice may lead him, now to some haunt of 

 birds, now by some quiet stream, having forsaken the 

 ways of men as if for ever. Before him is the expanse 

 of earth, the whole body of Nature, the eternity of a 

 day to which he refuses for the time being to set 

 mental bound. So only can a man cancel the 

 limitations of his state, and for a time live that ampler 

 life which is indeed the life of the world. 



In his wanderings he will probably often enough 

 stumble up against our rural friend, " Trespassers 

 will be prosecuted." This old fellow is not so fierce 



