NOTE TO THE AUTHOR'S EDITION. 



to know that his "plea" of thirty years ago has 

 had a markedly and a noticeably elevating effect 

 upon public taste, he is conscious that it takes 

 a long time to educate public feeling to its fullest 

 extent ; he realises that a generation has grown 

 up since " THE FERN PARADISE " was first 

 published, and he trusts that, as the theme 

 is as fresh as ever it was and is still full of 

 educating, elevating and delightful possibilities, 

 it will find the present generation as appreciative 

 as was the previous one of what is beautiful in 

 nature. 



The lanes and moorlands and streams of bonny 

 Devon are as fresh and fascinating and delightful 

 as they were when described more than a quarter 

 of a century ago in this modest little volume ; 

 and the Author earnestly trusts that the mission 

 to give pleasure, of his "plea for the culture of 

 Ferns," may be continued and widely extended in 

 this NEW EDITION. 



London, October, 1905. 



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