JULY. 227 



joyed them good possibly in themselves 

 exceedingly good at a distance, but 



Another race has been, and other palms are won. 

 Knowledge has run to and fro in the earth. 

 It has penetrated into the remotest hamlet 

 into the obscurest nook, and though many a 

 goodly superstition, many a jocund folly have 

 fled before it, I trust, and I think I know, that 

 sufficient simplicity of heart and manner re- 

 mains, and is likely to remain in what may be 

 truly called the country ; and instead of igno- 

 rance and laughter, we have intelligence, in- 

 dustry stimulated by higher views, and when- 

 ever there is occasion to display it, mirth and 

 good fellowship enough. This is never more 

 conspicuous than in harvest time. 



With the exception of a casual song of the 

 lark in a fresh morning, and the blackbird and 

 thrush at sunset, or the monotonous wail of 

 the yellow-hammer, the silence of birds is now 

 complete ; even the lesser reed-sparrow, which 

 may very properly be called the English mock- 

 bird, and which kept up a perpetual clatter 

 with the notes of the sparrow, the swallow, the 

 white-throat, etc. in every hedge-bottom, day 

 and night, has now ceased its song also. 

 Q2 



