68 The Derbyshire Rivers. 



saken, left to our troubles and despair yea, even thrust 

 out of the light. But these Derbyshire waters, do they 

 not teach us it is not so ? We have but to keep up a good 

 heart, believe in the ultimate goodness of all Divine 

 designs, go on working, doing our duty, "in honour 

 preferring one another," and by and by the bright water 

 will reappear, and we shall be able to dip in our little 

 cups, drink of it, and be renewed. Hope on ; hope ever ! 

 Every lost river reappears, and nothing that is worth 

 having in life is ever taken away for more than the time 

 it is well for us to be without it. 



So to translate nature, if we will use it aright, is en- 

 joined upon us by the Great Interpreter. Nature holds 

 openhanded all the treasures, not only of order and 

 beauty, but of intelligence; and though the first time 

 we look upon her lovely and strange phenomena, it 

 must needs be in simple surprise and admiration, by 

 and by, when the excitement of wonder has passed 

 away, and we listen, she is ready to bestow a sweeter 

 wisdom. Physical phenomena, taken as such and no- 

 thing besides, are the least part of true science, which 

 consists not in the accumulation of knowledge of shapes 

 of things, but in the extraction of their Significance. It 

 is in the quality of significance that the consummate 

 glory of Nature will abide for ever. God has given no 

 lovelier privilege to the human soul than that which, 

 like alchemy, turning dull earth to gold, finds 

 " Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks." 



