A GARDEN DIARY 49 



occurrences as these that produce that extra- 

 ordinary thirst for order, that very unlooked-for 

 passion for tidiness, which I just now noted. 

 After a day or two passed in such struggles as 

 these one begins to understand the pride of the 

 colonist in pure, speckless Ugliness ; in beauti- 

 fully clean, naked earth, varied by straight lines 

 of split-wood fences, or the like. I have not 

 as yet reached that point myself, and am glad 

 to feel that I can still tolerate Nature. All the 

 same a sort of nurseryman's attitude towards 

 everything tainted with wildness is fast gaining 

 upon me, and unless I can check both it, and 

 this overweening love of tidiness while there is 

 time, I plainly foresee that there will shortly 

 be nothing else left! 



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