266 EVERSLEY GARDENS 



of the fir forests and moors, of which five- 

 sixths of my parish consist. Those delicious 

 self-sown firs ! " 



And when, two years later, he returned to 

 Eversley as its rector, the " furze hill," 

 known as " The Mount," and crowned with 

 an ancient pollard Oak, became in course of 

 time one of the spots he best loved. It is a 

 little bit of primaeval forest, covered with 

 fine Oaks and Hollies, Beeches, wild Cherries, 

 and Crab trees the ground below white in 

 Spring-time with Wood-anemones, blue with 

 wild Hyacinths, and jewelled with Primroses 

 and Meadow Orchis ; while on the open 

 slope beneath the great Oak, the wild Thyme 

 in Summer grows in thick, fragrant cushions. 

 The old hollow Oak, which according to the 

 best authorities must have been a lusty young 

 tree at the time of the Norman Conquest, 

 became a favourite resort of his children ; 

 for by means of two or three stout bars 

 across the rent in its side we could climb 

 into its enormous branches, and there read, 

 or attempt to learn our lessons. But it was 



