292 LIVING WITH NATURE. 



Mountain life has delights peculiarly its own, 

 there is a mysterious charm in these elevated 

 regions that is never felt on the plains, and the 

 further the wanderer goes from the haunts of 

 man, the stronger become those exhilarating sen- 

 sations which fill the heart with gladness, and 

 nerve the body with energy to put forth its 

 strength. He who lives constantly with Nature, 

 watching and studying all her changing moods, 

 feels that he has a world within himself, that no 

 adverse fortune can sweep away. 



It has ever seemed to me that, amidst the moun- 

 tains, the pulse of Nature beats stronger and 

 more palpably than upon the plains ; here, every- 

 thing discovers more life and energy, and speaks 

 more emphatically of the infinite power of the 

 Ruler of the Universe. The stream that mean- 

 ders slowly through the plains, dashes impetu- 

 ously down its mountain course ; and even man 

 (unless education and society changes him) much 

 resembles the soil from which he springs. 



