I INTRODUCTION 17 
see (and happily not alone), the West Indies 
and the Spanish Main. From childhood I 
had studied their Natural History, their 
Charts, their Romances; and now, at last, I 
was about to compare books with facts, and 
judge for myself of the reported wonders of 
the Earthly Paradise.” 
No doubt there is much to see everywhere. 
The Poet and the Naturalist find “ tropical 
forests in every square foot of turf.” It may 
even be better, and especially for the more 
sensitive natures, to live mostly in quiet 
scenery, among fields and hedgerows, woods 
and downs; but it is surely good for every 
one, from time to time, to refresh and 
strengthen both mind and body by a spell of 
Sea air or Mountain beauty. 
On the other hand we are told, and told 
of course with truth, that though mountains 
may be the cathedrals of Nature, they are 
generally remote from centres of population ; 
that our great cities are grimy, dark, and 
ugly ; that factories are creeping over several 
of our counties, blighting them into building 
ground, replacing trees by chimneys, and 
C 
