A JOURNAL KEPT IN THE COUNTRY. 21 



expatiation. The first class, no doubt, gain vastly 

 in health and well-being ; but make a very ill return 

 to us their hosts. The brief holiday of the summer 

 visitors is not enough to help their bodily ailments ; 

 and if they go home better in mind, one can only 

 shudder for those who stayed behind. In spite of 

 systems of oversight and visitation, it constantly 

 happens that a couple of little Mile-Enders are 

 superimposed upon a half-dozen small Joskins in 

 the cramped and fusty cottage bedrooms, already 

 thrice overcrowded. And I find by research, that 

 the invaders are generally far from being happy ; 

 they find the country insipid, like their betters ; they 

 miss the opes strepitumque> the flaring, roaring streets, 

 the fried-fish, and the dainties out of tin cans. They 

 hate and are hated by the autochthones of their own 

 inches ; they scorn the menu of their entertainers ; 

 fry of the salt deeps, they sicken in the fresh shallows 

 of Alpheus. If it ended here, and the summer- 

 holiday plan was only a philanthropic waste, Arcadians 

 might suffer gladly the activities of the energetic 

 lady-committees, and the criticisms of their proteges ; 

 but naturally that part of town-infections which the 

 visitors rub off among the pastures new, they 

 effectually leave with us here. One is apt to grow 

 not a little angry at the complete ignoring of the 



