A GARDEN DIARY 45 



SEPTEMBER 26, 1899 



YET, although undoubtedly our ancestor, Sir 

 Primitive stands a good way back on the 

 family tree, and other influences have grown 

 up since his time to disturb his teachings. The 

 fear of becoming too tidy, for instance, does not 

 at first sight seem to be a very reasonable fear. 

 It has not been imputed to many people as a 

 failing, especially to those who happen to have 

 been born to the westward of St. George's 

 Channel ! Nevertheless there are moments when 

 a wild passion for tidiness, a perfect thirst and 

 craving for order, seems to sweep across the 

 soul like a wave ; when everything else that 

 one habitually cares for is flung back, and over- 

 whelmed before it, even as the hosts of Pharaoh 

 were flung back, and overwhelmed before the 

 cold, subduing waters of the Red Sea. 



We are all the children of our age ; there 

 is no getting over that fact ; heirs of a hardly 

 won civilisation, let us call ourselves Wild Wilful- 

 ness, or any other law-defying name, as much as 



