viii PREFACE. 



come out of sharp contact with the world, immenfely 

 larger?&quot; 



In my reply, loving the country as I do, and wifhing 

 to set forth its praifes ; and believing as I do, in the God- 

 appointed duty of working land to its top limit of pro 

 ducing power, I said a great deal that looked like a mild 

 Georgic. 



And yet, with a feeling for his poor boy, and a re 

 membrance of what crisp salads I had found in the city 

 markets, after mine were all mined and devoured by the 

 field-mice, I wrote a great deal that had the twang of 

 Melibceus in the eclogue, 



EN IPSE CAPELLAS 



PROTENUS JEGER AGO ! 



In short, in my reply, I beat about the bufh : so much 

 about the bum in fact, that this book came of it. 



EDGEWOOD, 1863. 



