230 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



Jefferies there will be something new in read- 

 ing these scenes again. To those who know 

 him not, and yet can feel beauty and truth 

 and simplicity things so rare, so very rare 

 these scenes will be like the entrance to some 

 unknown gallery filled with pictures exquisite, 

 touching and tender. 



I select, first, a specimen of his early style. 

 He is speaking of the provision made by the 

 oak for the creatures of the wood : 



1 ( It is curious to note the number of crea- 

 tures to whom the oak furnishes food. The 

 jays, for instance, are now visiting them for 

 acorns ; in the summer they fluttered round 

 the then green branches for the chafers, and 

 in the evenings the fern owls or goat- suckers 

 wheeled about the verge for these and for 

 moths. Kooks come to the oaks in crowds for 

 the acorns ; wood-pigeons are even more fond 

 of them, and from their crops quite a handful 

 may sometimes be taken when shot in the trees. 



" They will carry off at once as many acorns 

 as old-fashioned economical farmers used to 

 walk about with in their pockets, ' chucking ' 



