A GARDEN DIARY 205 



most era-making of discoverers, nay, for aught 

 I can tell to the contrary, for the seer, the saint, 

 and the prophet in their hours of highest, and 

 most God-inspired contemplation. 



For the raw materials of inspiration are eternally 

 at hand, only invisibly. They are as present here 

 this morning as they ever were ; present in the 

 earth and its green things ; in the common 

 face of day ; in the comings and goings of the 

 clouds, and of men ; in the changes of the sky, 

 and of our own poor lives. The light that is 

 gilding yonder cumulus is as capable of inspiring 

 great thoughts here to-day in a Surrey copse, as 

 ever it was in Delphi, or in Argos, or in Jeru- 

 salem. It may awaken just as resounding 

 emotions, it may inspire just as great deeds to 

 the hearts of yonder passers-by in a dogcart, as 

 it did to the Assailants of Troy, or to the Seekers 

 of the Golden Fleece. The constituents of all 

 greatness, of all poetry, heroism, and sanctity 

 are for ever amongst us. It is only the right 

 recipients of them that are alas ! so scanty. 



And yet, even though we are not quite the 

 right recipients, it is well for us that such gleams 

 come. Who shall say that an existence which is 

 capable of being even thus temporarily lifted above 

 itself is not for that very reason a goodly and a 

 desirable one ? What proportion of discomfort, 

 what proportion even of sheer pain, of numbing 

 weakness, of crushing sorrow were not worth 



