174 THE FACE OF THE FIELDS 



of love for the earth, and to our joy in living 

 upon it. He has turned a little of the universe 

 into literature; has translated a portion of the 

 earth into human language; has restored to us 

 our garden here eastward in Eden apple tree 

 and all. 



For a real taste of fruity literature, try Mr. Bur- 

 roughs's chapter on "The Apple." Try Tho- 

 reau's, too, if you are partial to squash-bugs. 

 There are chapters in Mr. Burroughs, such as 

 "Is it going to Rain?" "A River View," "A 

 Snow-Storm," which seem to me as perfect, in 

 their way, as anything that has ever been done 

 single, simple, beautiful in form, and deeply 

 significant ; the storm being a piece of fine de- 

 scription, of whirling snow across a geologic land- 

 scape, distant, and as dark as eternity ; the whole 

 wintry picture lighted and warmed at the end by 

 a glowing touch of human life : 



" We love the sight of the brown and ruddy 

 earth; it is the color of life, while a snow-covered 

 plain is the face of death; yet snow is but the 

 mark of life-giving rain ; it, too, is the friend of 

 man the tender, sculpturesque, immaculate, 

 warming, fertilizing snow." 



