INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. XXI 



allow them to approach us. It is for the purpose 

 of listening to these tones, and of holding mysterious 

 converse with the soul of Nature, that every great 

 poet is a lover of solitude !" Therefore 



Blessings be with them, and eternal praise, 

 Who gave us nobler loves, and nobler cares 

 The poets ! 



and not with the poets only, but with the greatest 

 names in our philosophy ; Newton, Bacon, Locke, 

 and a host of others ; nor less with a multitude of 

 authors throughout every department of our litera- 

 ture, who have with one accord turned us for 

 wisdom to the great book of Nature. Not a little 

 has honest Izaak Walton contributed to spread his 

 own love of quiet haunts and streams, his own 

 tranquil and benevolent piety. And to our Natu- 

 ralists, what do we not owe ! Every one of them 

 who assists to turn the attention of our youth to 

 subjects which must lead them out to the country, 

 be he but the merest plodder, the merest arranger 

 of other men's knowledge, the merest cataloguer 

 of names, does a good service: but such men as 

 Gilbert White, Bewick, Evelyn, etc., who explore 

 with enthusiastic and indefatigable delight every 

 natural haunt, and cast round their labours the 

 beaming halo of genius, attracting thousands to 

 the objects of their admiration, must be classed 

 amongst the greatest benefactors of the human 

 race. 



It is with unspeakable delight that I behold every 



