CHAP. xvni. SIGHT FROM A HILL TOP. 299 



that, though of all sizes, from an inch up to twelve 

 inches, every one was true to the type. Passing on to 

 a rocky ledge, I saw a cluster of the fern I had gone in 

 quest of. Down I sat, in admiration wrapt, the world 

 forgot ! What was the world to me, with its pomps, 

 and pleasures, and nonsense ? Away with printed books 

 and dried specimens ! Nature, ever enduring and capti- 

 vating Nature, is the best of all books to study from. 

 That, said I, is the Polypodium Dryopteris of learned 

 men. More than fifty of the fern were growing before 

 me, not one of them agreeing in any particular with 

 the Dryopteris of the books. 



" When I had gathered the plants, I sat and looked 

 around. The day was warm and delightful. A thin 

 haze was dancing through the air. The effect was 

 charming, tempting one to dream. Through the mists 

 of Mirza I could see a human figure at the hill foot, 

 stooping low to the ground. Probably, thought I, some 

 broken-hearted pilgrim is providing for futurity. I 

 turned round, and after a while I looked again. Alas ! 

 it was a half -naked woman filling her stomach with cold 

 water. The spell was broken. It was time to be gone. 

 Adieu, old boy !" 



In this way was the pleasant correspondence of the 

 two geologists carried on. There was no envy, but 

 every kind of helpfulness between them. Peach told 

 his discoveries to Dick, and Dick told his to Peach. 

 There were many discussions between them, more 

 particularly as to Peach's fossil wood. Dick said that 

 under Peach's supposition " a stone quarry becomes a 



