BENEDICITE 159 



above height, the plain beyond the plain, the 

 stream's source hidden in the earth. Thereafter 

 man went by a way in which the little folk might 

 not follow, and all they know of it is that the bells 

 are the sign and symbol of his going. 



I have no doubt as to the "morality" governing 

 those early hours of a Sunday morning those 

 hours, I would say, between sunrise and the first 

 stroke from the belfry. The parson is asleep ; his 

 congregation, scattered recumbent all about the 

 parish, are consciously no nearer to the Sabbath 

 then dawning than they are to the Sabbath next to 

 follow. Being as yet unattired themselves, they 

 tacitly concede that a man may without grave mis- 

 demeanour sally forth in any clothing of a discreetly 

 neutral character. They do not sally forth them- 

 selves, for it is lawful to rest elastic word ! on the 

 Sabbath ; still, such a proceeding is conceded to be 

 tolerable, even mildly commendable, in one probably 

 a little odd in the manner of his goings-out and 

 comings-in. It is worthy of note, therefore, by such 

 as share with Nature the eccentric habit of early- 

 rising, that one may walk abroad in God's earth 

 of a Sabbath morning early without grave scandal 

 among the faithful. 



I would, however, beseech my co-eccentrics to 

 note that word " early." The period of license it 

 covers expires at the first stroke of the church-going 

 bell. To be "perfect" in the law, one should be 

 able at that critical moment to slough an old Norfolk 

 and emerge in black ; an umbrella may fitly supersede 

 the profane ash stock ; a cap of homespun should 

 give place to the polished cylinder whose sole merit 



