82 ON SURREY HILLS. 



ever known. He has now solved those secrets of 

 nature, doubtless, that puzzled him here. As to 

 myself, I am at the present time nearer sixty than 

 fifty years of age ; I enjoy first-rate health ; my 

 eyesight, thank God ! is as keen as it was at twenty- 

 five ; and I am as capable of a twenty miles' trudge 

 over the moorlands as I was in the days of my 

 youth. From my childhood I have studied natural 

 life, but not for profit ; until a few years ago I 

 never wrote a line about what I knew or had seen 

 for the public eye to rest on. And so I feel compe- 

 tent, as one of nature's children, to give an opinion 

 as to the value of the work of my lamented fellow 

 naturalist, Richard Jefferies. 



Let us climb the hills once more from Hackhurst 

 downs on our way to Ranmore common. From 

 here a bridle-path passes in front of the mansion 

 of beautiful Denbies. We have one of the most 

 lovely views of woodland scenery that it is possible 

 for any one to look on. There is the whole length 

 of the Holmesdale valley, with the hills on either side 

 of it. We see mansions thickly dotted in all direc- 

 tions, where some years ago there was not a house 

 to be seen. Retracing our steps from this point, 



