A GOOD WORD FOR WINTER. 31 



But I would exchange this, and give something to boot, 

 for the privilege of walking out into the vast blur of a north- 

 northeast snow-storm, and getting a strong draught on the 

 furnace within, by drawing the first furrows through its sandy 

 drifts. I love those 



Noontide twilights which snow makes 

 With tempest of the blinding flakes. 



If the wind veer too much toward the east, you get the 

 heavy snow that gives a true Alpine slope to the boughs of 

 your evergreens, and traces a skeleton of your elms in white ; 

 but you must have plenty of north in your gale if you want 

 those driving nettles of frost that sting the cheeks to a 

 crimson manlier than that of fire. During the great storm of 

 two winters ago, the most robustious periwig-pated fellow of 

 late years, I waded and floundered a couple of miles through 

 the whispering night, and brought home that feeling of ex 

 pansion we have after being in good company. Great things 

 doeth He which we cannot comprehend ; for He saith to the 

 snow, &quot; Be thou on the earth.&quot; 



There is admirable snow scenery in Judd s Margaret/ but 

 some one has confiscated my copy of that admirable book, 

 and, perhaps, Homer s picture of a snow-storm is the best 

 yet in its large simplicity: 



And as in winter-time, when Jove his cold sharp javelins throws 



Amongst us mortals, and is moved to white the earth with snows, 



The winds asleep, he freely pours till highest prominents, 



Hill-tops, low meadows, and the fields that crown with most contents 



The toils of men, seaports and shores, are hid, and every place, 



But floods, that fair snow s tender flakes, as their own brood, embrace. 



Chapman, after all, though he makes very free with him, 

 comes nearer Homer than anybody else. There is nothing 

 in the original of that fair snow s tender flakes, but neither 

 Pope nor Cowper could get out of their heads the Psalmist s 

 tender phrase, He giveth his snow like wool, 5 for which also 

 Homer affords no hint. Pope talks of dissolving fleeces, 

 and Cowper of a fleecy mantle. But David is nobly simple, 

 while Pope is simply nonsensical, and Cowper pretty. If they 

 must have prettiness, Martial would have supplied them with 

 it in his 



Densum tacitarum vellus aquarum, 



which is too pretty, though I fear it would have pleased 

 Dr. Donne. Eustathius of Thessalonica calls snow 



