APRIL 283 



tub under every tap I have in the garden, as exposing 

 the water to the sun and air prevents its being so hard 

 and cold as when it comes straight out of the pipe. 



We have just had, what we always feel to be doubly 

 precious in our sandy soil, a good shower of rain. Mr. 

 Stephen Phillips, in the 'Saturday Review' last year, 

 had a poem which describes this kind of shower beauti- 

 fully and originally : 



After rain, after rain, 



Oh, sparkling Earth! 



All things are new again, 



Bathed as at birth. 



Now the pattering sound hath ceased, 



Drenched and released, 



Upward springs the glistening bough 



In sunshine now; 



And the raindrop from the leaf 



Buns and slips; 



Ancient forests have relief, 



Young foliage drips. 



All the earth doth seem 



Like Dian issuing from the stream, 



Her body flushing from the wave, 



Glistening in her beauty grave; 



Down from her, as she doth pass 



Little rills run to the grass ; 



Or like, perhaps, to Venus when she rose 



And looked with dreamy stare across the sea, 



As yet unconscious of the woes, 



The woes, and all the wounds that were to be. 



Or now again, 



After the rain, 



Earth like that early garden shines, 



Vested in vines. 



Oh, green, green 



Eden is seen! 



After weeping skies 



Bising Paradise; 



Umbrage twinkling new 



'Gainst the happy blue. 



