Introduction 



artlessness that planned his pastoral, managed his dialogues, and in- 

 troduced his variations from his chosen theme, it was that artlessness 

 which is one with art. So much nature was never got into a book 

 without a corresponding outlay of art and has any one else brought 

 the singing of birds, the fragrance of meadows, the meditative peace 

 of the riverside, into a book, with so undying a freshness as he? 

 And how well he knew daintily to set a sprig of " old-fashioned 

 poetry, but choicely good," here and there among his pages, poetry 

 thus immortalised by the association for no other writer so hallows 

 his quotations. 



But it is in vain we strive by critical reagents to analyse the un- 

 fading charm of this old book ; is it not simply that the soul of a 

 good man still breathes through its pages like lavender ? 



Gottiffi 



Ixx 



