FERNS AS A HOBBY 



I THINK it is Charles Lamb who says that every 

 man should have a hobby, if it be nothing better 

 than collecting strings. A man with a hobby turns 

 to account the spare moments. A holiday is a de- 

 light instead of a bore to a man with a hobby. 

 Thrown out of his usual occupations on a holiday, 

 the average man is at a loss for employment. Pro- 

 vided his neighbors are in the same fix, he can play 

 cards. But there are hobbies and hobbies. As an 

 occasional relaxation, for example, nothing can be 

 said against card-playing. But as a hobby it is not 

 much better than " collecting strings." It is neither 

 broadening mentally nor invigorating physically, and 

 it closes the door upon other interests which are both. 

 I remember that once, on a long sea-voyage, I envied 

 certain of my fellow-passengers who found amuse- 

 ment in cards when the conditions were such as to 

 make almost any other occupation out of the ques- 

 tion. But when finally the ship's course lay along a 

 strange coast, winding among unfamiliar islands, 

 by shores luxuriant with tropical vegetation and 

 sprinkled with strange settlements, all affording de- 



