76 THE CLERK OF THE WOODS 



the grace of God, to have had his eyes opened 

 to natural beauty and his heart made sen- 

 sitive to the delights of solitude. I have 

 learned that it is possible to enjoy scenery at 

 home as well as abroad, scenery without 

 mountains or waterfalls ; scenery that no 

 tourist would call "fine;" a bit of green 

 valley, an ancient apple orchard, a woodland 

 vista, an acre of marsh, a cattle pasture. In 

 fact, I have observed that painters choose 

 quiet subjects like these oftener than any of 

 the more exceptional and stupendous mani- 

 festations of nature. Perhaps it is because 

 such subjects are easier ; but I suspect not. 

 I suspect, indeed, that they are harder, and 

 are preferred because, to the painter's eye, 

 they are more permanently beautiful. 



At this very moment I am looking at a 

 patch of meadow inclosing a shallow pool of 

 standing water, over the surface of which a 

 high wind is chasing little waves. A few 

 low alders are near it, and the grass is green 

 all about. That of itself is a sight to make 

 a man happy. For the world just now is 

 consumed with drought. All the uplands are 

 sere, and every roadside bush is begrimed 



