IN IDLE MOMENT 17 



of irresistible intuition which came to Amiel, when a 

 man feels himself great like the universe and calm like 

 a god, one may thrill with love and admiration for 

 Nature without resigning sense of superiority over all 

 other of her works or abating one jot of justifiable 

 pride. 



Even in tropical Queensland there is a sense of re- 

 vivification during the last half of August and first 

 of September, and the soul of man responds thereto, 

 as do plants and birds, in lawful manner. Perhaps 

 it is that the alien dweller in lands of the sun, when 

 he frisks mentally and physically at this sprightly 

 season, is merely obeying an imperative characteristic 

 bred into him during untold generations when the 

 winter was cruelly real and spring a jo3 r ful release 

 from cold and distress. The cause may be slight, 

 but there is none to doubt the actual awakening, for 

 it is persuasive and irresistible. 



The lemon-trees are discarding the burden of super- 

 fluous fruit with almost immoderate haste, for the 

 gentle flowers must have their day. Pomeloes have 

 put forth new growth a yard long in less than a fort- 

 night, and are preparing a bridal array of blooms such 

 as will make birds and butterflies frantic with admira- 

 tion and perfume the scene for the compass of a mile. 

 The buff-and-yellow sprays of the mango attract 

 millions of humming insects, great and small. Most 

 of the orchids are in full flower, the coral-trees glow, 

 the castanospermum is full of bud, loose bunches 

 of white fruit decorate the creeping palms, and the 

 sunflower-tree is blotched with gold in masses. The 

 birds make declaration of attachment for the season. 



Great trees, amorous birds, frail insects, perceive the 

 subtle influence of the season, and shall not coarse- 

 fibred man rejoice, though there be little or nothing to 



