TREES AND SHRUBS 115 



pink convolvulus, rock rose, sea poppy, excited is that faculty of the mind 



yellow flag, bugloss, blue geranium, supposed to be obsolete, but which 



water forget-me-not, flowering rush, still faintly lives in all of us, though 



and grass of Parnassus, for example we may be unconscious of it a faculty 



(and many more might be named), which sees a hidden meaning or spirit, 



we see that in beauty, pure and simple, in all strange appearances in the 



these equal and exceed the fritillary ; natural world. It is the " sense of 



yet this impresses us more than the mystery," and is with us in sight of a 



others, and surprises us into thinking magnificent and strange sunset, and of 



it more beautiful because its beauty any unusual atmospheric phenomenon 



strikes us more sharply. It is not or aspect of nature, and, in a less 



sufficient to say that the sharper im- degree, in all strangeness, down to the 



pression is due merely to the unusual smallest objects that engage our atten- 



appearance. I rather incline to believe tion an insect, a flower, even our 



that the source of the vivid interest chequered daffodil of the river-fields. 



XXIV 

 TREES AND SHRUBS 



" But Lord ! so I was glad and wel begoon ! 

 For overal wher that I myn eyen caste 

 Were trees clad with leves that ay shal laste, 

 Eche in his kynde, of colour fresch and grene 

 As emeraude, that joye it was to sene." 



CHAUCER. 



IV TOT even the turf of English hill- wide variety of species, to the moist 



sides and meadows, that won- and equable climate which nurses them 



derful and peculiar gift of Nature to in luxuriant though steady growth, 



our islands, has so deep and character- and above all, to the natural network 



istic an influence on the scenery of of hedges which gives a harbourage 



England as the wealth and variety to verdure and great timber in nearly 



of our wild-growing trees and shrubs, every nook and corner of the soil, 



There is scarcely another country in there is no land in which the softness 



Europe with so small a proportionate and sweet outline of free foliage makes 



area of genuine forest land ; and yet, so continually an appeal to the eye. 



owing to the happy dispersal of a Except where Nature has been ex- 



