48 Musings by Camp-Fire and Wayside 



the noble trees, with the sparkling waters, with the 

 flowers, the music, the white piles of clouds, with 

 the flashing borealis, with the sparkling stars. It 

 is an exhilarating and a sublime uplift that they 

 give us. 



Only the friendly can make friends. One who 

 would have Nature friendly and serviceable must 

 extend friendship to her. He must approach her 

 with kindness and respect, or she will have nothing 

 to say to him. But let him seat himself in that 

 forest and listen, let him learn to interpret her sign- 

 language, and she will communicate to him a thou- 

 sand pleasant thoughts and tell him the secret of 

 her charms. She is calm, unobtrusive, not vain of 

 her exquisite beauty, nor haughty in her grandeur, 

 nor disposed to monopolize the conversation. She 

 prepares everywhere charming surprises, distills 

 fresh and original flavors and perfumes, exhibits 

 her touches of grace and harmony in art. If it be 

 warm she will lift your hair with a gentle and 

 refreshing breeze. If the wind be cold she will 

 build a screen of trees to shelter you. She will offer 

 you a delicious bath, pile a bed of fragrant leaves 

 or mosses for you — is always gentle, suggestive, 

 and kindly. The various elements of Nature are 

 friendly and helpful to each other. The sun gives 

 glory to the sublime pile of clouds, the clouds give 

 to the waters, and the waters give to us and to the 

 landscape. Each receives and passes it along. 

 Each receives only that it may give; and if we do 



