I. 



v INTRODUCTION. 



THE object of this work is to foster in the public- 

 mind a taste for the observation of natural objects and 

 to cultivate that sentiment which is usually designated 

 as the love of nature. Whatever may be our situation 

 in life, this habit of the mind will contribute to our hap 

 piness, in proportion as it predominates over our taste 

 for other pleasures, without interfering with our neces 

 sary avocations. No man, like the brute, can be happy 

 from the mere gratification of his animal wants. All 

 our pleasures, including those derived from the survey 

 of nature, must be exalted by some poetic sentiment, or 

 they will soon become tiresome and insipid. The ox 

 that grazes in the pasture undoubtedly receives gratifi 

 cation from the sight of green fields and the smell of 

 fresh meadows : but he has no ideality. He weaves no 

 pleasant images of fancy with the scenes he loves to- 

 frequent ; his mind is singularly practical, and his taste 

 is- entirely unconnected with any mental emotions- 

 He cherishes no illusions save those which may be sug 

 gested by his fears. A man of low intellect may be 

 hold with rapture a garden abounding in ripe and deli 

 cious fruits ; but for him the garden has no illusive 

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