In Wildest Africa * 



in a special sense they ought to be true to nature, 

 absolutely trustworthy " nature-documents." This distin- 

 guishes the photograph from works of art executed by 

 the hand of man, which must conform to each individual 

 conception of the artist. 



It is a hard saying that the modern cultured man is 

 becoming continually more and more estranged from 

 nature. But in this matter let us take the standpoint 

 of the optimist, who says to himself that there must be 

 a reaction a conscious, deliberate return, which indeed 

 will represent the result of the highest stage of culture. 

 There is an increasing perception of the existence in our 

 home, landscape of an ideal worth, that we have not 

 yet been able sufficiently to estimate. To-day already 

 there is a movement on all sides, and the demand is heard, 

 ever stronger and clearer, for the protection of the beauties 

 of nature. \Ve must protect Nature in the widest sense 

 of the word. And even if, in the stern progress of 

 evolving civilisation, much that remains in the treasury 

 of primitive nature must be destroyed, we shall be able 

 long to preserve and rejoice in much else-. 



And here come into play the healthy desire of man 

 in his primitive state, the cry for light and air, and all 

 the beaut}' of nature. It is hardly a hundred years since 

 we in Europe learned to value the landscape beauties of 

 unspoilt nature. English writers of travels a century ago 

 still spoke of Switzerland with aversion ; it was lor them 

 a horrible, dismal mountain country. And it is easy to 

 understand how man in his hard strule for the 





necessaries of life regarded, and was forced to regard, 



100 



