Autobiographical Passages 59 



acting from an old idea associated with the word garden, the 

 essence of gardening having been withdrawal from nature 

 and restriction to artificial conditions. (Garden, girdle and 

 girth are from the same root signifying constraint.) A 

 Gardener is thought of as a man working in accommodation 

 to artificial restrictions. 



Many times something expressive of this idea has been 

 plainly said to me or possibly said of me and of my advice 

 and work. Hundreds of times a prejudice of mind of this 

 nature has been apparent in those seeking my counsel. 



I hope the slight account I propose to give of myself may 

 cause what is to follow after it to be read with less prejudice 

 of this kind than it might otherwise be. 



I can see that my pleasure began to be affected by condi- 

 tions of scenery at an early age, long before it could have 

 been suspected by others from anything that I said and 

 before I began to mentally connect the cause and effect of 

 enjoyment in it. It occurred too, while I was but a half- 

 grown lad, that my parents thought well to let me wander as 

 few parents are willing their children should. 



Within thirty miles of where they lived there were a score 

 of houses of their kindred and friends at which I was always 

 welcome. They were mostly farm houses and had near them 

 interesting rivers, brooks, meadows, rocks, woods or moun- 

 tains, those less rural had pleasant old gardens. Of the 

 people two only shall be referred to particularly. One a poor 

 scholar who, after a deep affliction, lived in seclusion with no 

 occupation but that of reading good old books to which he 

 had formed an attachment in happier days. One of his 

 favorite authors was Virgil, and he took pleasure in reading 

 and translating him to me. He was quaintly mild, courteous 

 and ceremonious, of musing, contemplative habits, and in 

 these and other respects so different from most men whom 

 I knew that, as he commanded my respect and affectionate 

 regard, I recognize him to have had a notable influence in my 

 education. 



