THE LOVABILITY r OF NATURE 189 



and enjoying Natural Beauty. We may admire 

 and worship but we can scarcely love, in any true 

 sense of the word, a Being dwelling distant and 

 aloof from us, and with whom, from the mere fact 

 of his being perfect, it is most difficult for us to be 

 on terms of homely intimacy and affection. But 

 for a Being who, like our country, is one of whom 

 we ourselves form part, we can have not only 

 admiration and reverence but deep affection. We 

 can and do love our country, for we form part of 

 her, and have a voice and share in making and 

 shaping her. We know that she cares for us, will 

 look after us in misfortune, and will honour and love 

 us if we serve her well and show her loyalty and 

 devotion. And we can and do love Nature for 

 precisely the same reasons. We feel ourselves part 

 of her, and in intimate touch with her all round and 

 always. And we have that which is so satisfying 

 to us — the feeling that there is reciprocity of love 

 between us and her. So our love is active, and it 

 vehemently impels us to get to know her better and 

 better, to get ourselves in ever closer touch with her, 

 to discover the utmost fulness of her Beauty, and to 

 communicate to others all that we have come to 

 know and all the Beauty we have seen, so that others 

 may share in our enjoyment and come to love 

 Nature more even than we love her ourselves — 

 love Nature in all her aspects, love physical Nature 

 in the mountains, seas and deserts, the clouds, 

 sunsets and stars, love plant Nature and animal 

 Nature and human Nature ; and, above all, love 

 Divine Nature as best revealed in supreme men in 

 their supreme moments. 



