24 JUNE IN FRAN CON I A. 



no doubt would have wondered what Mr. 

 Pater could mean by his talk about natural 

 objects as possessing "more or less of a 

 moral or spiritual life," as "capable of a 

 companionship with man, full of expression, 

 of inexplicable affinities and delicacies of 

 intercourse." From such refinements and 

 subtleties her mind would have taken refuge 

 in thoughts of her baking and ironing. But 

 she enjoyed the mountain; I think she had 

 some feeling for it, as for a friend ; and who 

 knows but she, too, was one of "the poets 

 that are sown by Nature "? 



I spent two happy hours and a half at the 

 summit of Lafayette. The ancient peak 

 must have had many a worthier guest, but it 

 could never have entertained one more hos- 

 pitably. With what softly temperate breezes 

 did it fan me ! I wish I were there now ! 

 But kind as was its welcome, it did not urge 

 me to remain. The word of the brook came 

 true again, as Nature's words always do, 

 if we hear them aright. Having gone as 

 high as my feet could carry me, there was 

 nothing left but to go down again. " Which 

 things," as Paul said to the Galatians, "are 

 an allegory." 



