26 EXCURSIONS ROUND LONDON. 



muring noise, while the buzzing of the bees, 

 which covered the flowers that fringed the 

 banks of this rivulet, added to the anima- 

 tion of the scene. On emerging from the 

 wood, a meadow presented itself to my 

 sio'ht. There my ear was struck with the 



O / 



sighing of the poplars in the breeze, and 

 the bleatings of the numerous flocks scatter- 

 ed over the plain. I perceived that the 

 sense of hearing, as well as that of sigl^t, 

 might produce diversified enjoyments ; and 

 I acknowledged, that, if 'the greatest part 

 of mankind are strangers to those enjoy- 

 ments, it is because they neglect to study 

 themselves. 



The same cause which prevents us from 

 admiring the wonderful phenomenon of 

 light, and the astonishing mechanism of the 

 eye, equally prevents us from attending to 

 the formation of sounds, and the effects pro- 

 duced by the faculty of hearing. 



It is the habk of hearing, which, in a 

 great measure, deadens our admiration. 



From 



