ii 4 FRESH WOODS. 



from this enjoyment, I am bound to say 

 that I have a positive aversion to loafing 

 about or lying flat on the sands for hours, as 

 I see multitudes of my species doing. 



I think I would almost rather take to " beer 

 and skittles " for my holiday entertainment, 

 than to such a way of passing the time. It is 

 true, nevertheless, that on our sands there 

 are not wanting abundant sources of amuse- 

 ment for those who have the spirit and pluck 

 to enjoy them ; there are ponies and donkeys, 

 nigger minstrels, archery targets, cocoanuts 

 to be won by bowling at them ; and then our 

 town boasts of a menagerie, " the finest col- 

 lection of animals out of London," says the 

 announcement. 



In earlier days I used sometimes to take 

 my young folk to the Zoological Gardens in 

 Regent's Park. There everything seemed 

 gay and joyous ; there was no sense of im- 

 prisonment and captivity. The animals were 

 cheerful and happy, and were as well pleased 

 to see us as we were to see them. What 

 a melancholy contrast does this collection 

 offers naturce present to us ! I took my 

 grandchildren to see the garden. We were 

 but a small party, and we were alone with 

 the wild beasts. It was truly depressing to 

 see those solitary birds and beasts caged up 



