The Value of a Love for Nature. 



157 



left to those who care to write, and those who like to read such 

 things. The geology, and botany, and folk-lore of the district, 

 to which it was impossible to do more than to make general refe- 

 rences, will be found in the succeeding chapters. As was before 

 said, in the wild commons and woods themselves I have myself 

 taken the greatest interest, and wished to impress their beauty 

 on the reader, feeling that a love for Nature is the mainspring 

 of all that is noble in life, and all that is precious in Art. I do 

 not know either that I have anywhere exaggerated. On the 

 contrary, no words can paint, much more exaggerate, the love- 

 liness of the woods. And of all walks in the district, this over 

 the Hordle and Barton Cliffs is by no means the least beautiful, 

 though no longer in the Forest. 



Hurst Castle. 



