34 



ON SURREY HILLS. 



they are overrun in the summer months by men 

 and women who enjoy themselves in various fashions, 

 some of these by no means rural. The majority of 

 these pleasure-seekers are like those who gaze at the 

 exterior of a beautiful casket, in total ignorance of 

 the jewels within. There yet remain innumerable, 

 spots on and about the footlands of the glorious hills, 

 where nature can be studied in all her primitive wild- 

 ness ; where a man may forget himself and his petty 

 troubles, whilst the wild things will come almost to 

 his feet and look at him in wonder ; where the turf 

 has the richness and softness of velvet, and so very 

 still is it that the gentle coo of the wood-pigeon falls 

 with startling effect on the ear. 



Those beautiful insects the fritillaries flit over you 

 there with dashing flight in all directions : so strong 

 is the beat of wing in the larger species that a faint 

 click can be distinctly heard at each stroke. 



Here one may rest from morning till night and 

 feel afterwards that not only is weary brain and over- 

 charged heart lulled and soothed, but one is better 

 and wiser for so resting. More salutary than any 

 medicine is the scent from the firs and the warm 

 earth. If you are restless and ill at ease, a gentle 



