242 THE FACE OF THE FIELDS 



quite changed ; the simple, large needs of their 

 lives remain forever the same. 



Let a man work where he will, or must; let 

 him live where only the whole man can live 

 in a house of his own, in a yard of his own, with 

 something green and growing to cultivate, some- 

 thing alive and responsive to take care of; and let 

 it be out under the sky of his birthright, in a quiet 

 where he can hear the wind among the leaves, and 

 the wild geese as they honk high overhead in the 

 night to remind him that the seasons have changed, 

 that winter is following down their flying wedge. 



As animals (and we are entirely animal) we 

 are as far under the dominion of nature as any 

 ragweed or woodchuck. But we are entirely hu- 

 man too, and have a human need of nature, that 

 is, a spiritual need, which is no less real than the 

 physical. We die by the million yearly for lack 

 of sunshine and pure air; and who knows how 

 much of our moral ill-health might be traced to 

 our lack of contact with the healing, rectifying 

 soul of the woods and skies ? 



A man needs to see the stars every night that 

 the sky is clear. Turning down his own small 

 lamp, he should step out into the night to see the 



