THE NATURAL MAN 35 



in exposing himself to the weather, in water, and 

 even in lying naked basking like a cat in the heat of 

 a big fire in the grate. A particular condition has 

 become associated in his mind with the feeling of 

 recovery, of relief, as if a burden had been dropped. 



The natural man, living an outdoor natural life, 

 although apparently indifferent, does yet experience 

 a certain pleasure in all weathers and aspects of 

 Nature. And I may say that this is how it is, and 

 always has been, with me, and that there is a satis- 

 faction to me not only in the aspects and weather 

 and other natural conditions which please us or 

 *' flatter the senses," but also in those which produce 

 discomfort and even actual physical pain or fear. 

 To the town-bred person this may sound like non- 

 sense, seeing that discomfort is not comfort, and fear 

 is fear, and pain, pain — and pain isn't pleasure, is 

 it ? He must take my word for it that it is in some 

 circumstances and in some persons, although he may 

 not be one of them. The degree in which we are 

 affected varies greatly, according to our bringing up 

 and character and tastes and occupation. 



But apart from all this, apart from the aesthetic 

 feelings which the object or scene or atmospheric 

 conditions may rouse, and from the sense of novelty, 

 the lively interest we experience at times in what we 

 see and smell and hear and feel, and from other 

 causes operating in us, there is a sense of the thing 

 itself — of the tree or wood, the rock, river, sea, moun- 

 tain, the soil, clay or gravel, or sand or chalk, the 

 cloud, the rain, and what not — something, let us say, 



