OF RICHARD JEFFERIES 



not hard shade, the effect of colour, 

 with the twitching of triangles, the 

 spangles glittering, and all the arrange- 

 ment contrived to take the eye, then he 

 can have it here as well as noble 

 sculpture. Ascend the steps to the 

 National Gallery, and stand looking 

 over the balustrade down across the 

 square in summer hours. Let the sun 

 have sloped enough to throw a slant 

 of shadow outward; let the fountains 

 splash whose bubbles restless speak 

 of rest and leisure, idle and dreamy; 

 let the blue-tinted pigeons nod their 

 heads walking, and anon crowd through 

 the air to the roof-tops. Shadow upon 

 the one side, bright light upon the 

 other, azure above and swallows. Ever 

 rolling the human stream flows, mostly 

 on the south side yonder, near enough 

 to be audible, but toned to bearableness. 

 A stream of human hearts, every atom 

 a living mind filled with what thoughts ? 



119 



