260 The Unknown River, 



fatigue. Another peculiarity of his is the wonderful 

 difference in the state of his affections, for when in the 

 open air he is in the highest degree grateful for the least 

 word or gesture of his master, and very demonstrative 

 himself ; whereas in the studio, where he passes too 

 many tedious hours, he has scarcely ever been known 

 to acknowledge a caress even by one movement of his 

 tail. He is by race a setter, and seemed destined to 

 a sporting career, but, as his master's fowling-piece has 

 not been used for some years, Tom's instincts are quite 

 undisciplined; and though in outward appearance the 

 finest setter in the whole neighborhood, so that all 

 sportsmen stop and look at him when he passes by, he 

 is a lamentable instance of the consequences of a neg- 

 lected education, and almost any dog of the same breed 

 is professionally his superior, if only he has passed 

 through a proper course of discipline. 



We digressed into this talk about Tom after saying 

 that he jumped over a brook. The brook murmurs over 

 the pebbles about a hundred yards lower down, and 

 we hear the refreshing sound coming on the faint, cool 

 breeze ; but the brook is very calm and quiet just here, 

 and washes its sandy banks with silent regularity, taking 

 the earth away grain by grain, an unceasing agent of 

 waste, and author of endless change. 



There is no rest to faculties wearied by labor like rest 

 by a quiet stream, on a beautiful afternoon in summer. 

 If you distribute your work wisely, and are fortunate 

 enough to have work of a kind that may be done at your 

 own hours, you will take care, when the days are long, 



