BEHIND THE EYE. 119 



the same road twice or thrice, or even to 

 the hundredth time, they see only one set 

 of objects. The same man is always at the 

 window. No wonder they are restless and 

 famished. For my own part, though I 

 should delight to see new lands and new 

 people, new birds and new plants, I ain 

 nevertheless pretty well contented where I 

 am. If I take the same walks, I do not see 

 the same things. The botanist spells the 

 dreamer ; and now and then the lover of 

 beauty keeps the ornithologist in the back- 

 ground till he is thankful to come once 

 more to the window, though it be only to 

 look at a bluebird or a song sparrow. 



How much influence has the will in de- 

 termining which of these several tenants of 

 a man's body shall have his turn at sight- 

 seeing? It would be hard to answer def- 

 initely. As much, it may be, as a teacher 

 has over his pupils, or a father over his chil- 

 dren ; something depends upon the strength 

 of the governing will, and something upon 

 the tractability of the pupil. In general, I 

 assume to command. As I start on my 

 ramble I give out word, as it were, which of 

 the men shall have the front seat. But 



