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haps there is no one whose mind is awakened to the 

 feeling of the beautiful and sublime in the external uni- 

 verse, who is fully aware of the depth and intensity 

 of his love, if he have not, at some period of his 

 life, been a denizen of one of our large trading or 

 manufacturing cities. The imaginative power with 

 which he is endowed, will never be more actively 

 and agreeably exercised, than when he is fully 

 placed under the direct influence of rural scenes and 

 natural beauties. Wearied and exhausted in the 

 busy hum of men the eternal discordant noises of 

 the crowded streets grating harshly on his ear, he 

 will recur with tenfold delight to the recollection of 

 the scenes of the country to the cries of animals or 

 the songs of birds to the fall of waters, whether 

 murmuring gently in the " trotting brooks," or 

 dashing fiercely down the rock to the sounds 

 drawn forth by the winds in their endless courses, 

 whether as sighing and whispering in the leafy 

 woods, or whistling and roaring in all their strength 

 and power. Indeed, a communion with nature is 

 ever interesting. Even difficulties greatly heighten 

 our enjoyments. We should make a point, there- 

 fore, on setting out in our fishing excursions, of 

 placing ourselves under the cheering influences of all 

 material objects The man who possesses a keen sen- 

 sibility to external nature, may almost always say 

 with the poet : 



" I care not, Fortune, what you me deny ; 

 You cannot rob me of free Nature's grace ; 



