THE SPORTSMAN IN RETIREMENT. 833 



tlic primroses, succeeding to the empurpled violet 

 queen, liave clothed the ground beneath the trees 

 in the woods ; while pale gold, dear, beautiful cows- 

 lips deck the sweet meadow-grass. Every male 

 bird is singing to the partner of his nest. When 

 the sun shines bright, all nature seems in love, 

 and dark and dismally unfeeling is the heart and 

 soul of that man who cannot turn in . thankful- 

 ness to God for the mere gift of warm existence. 



To hear the pheasants crowing and the birds 

 singing around the bed-room window ere the day 

 has scarcely broken, is amply enough to call the 

 sportsman and naturalist from his couch with a 

 joyful spirit to share in the gladdened world; and 

 Avhen, in the midst of such harmony of scent and 

 song, the casement is thrown open, and the warm 

 fresh air enters the lips and breathes on the 

 breast of man, why he really needs not hound 

 nor dog to lure him forth, for Nature herself to 

 him is all in all. 



If he has a farm in his occupation, there arc 

 the crops up fresh and green to greet him, with 

 that sweet leader of Nature's orchestra of the 

 fields, the skylark, ascending thankfully to heaven 

 higher and higher, but still immediately over the 



