1828. 2Ef. 50.] SIR HUMPHRY DAVY. 395 



tranquilly and more agreeably than in the metropolis 

 of my own country. Nature never deceives us. The 

 rocks, the mountains, the streams, always speak the 

 same language. A shower of snow may hide the 

 verdant woods in spring, a thunder-storm may render 

 the blue, limpid streams foul and turbulent ; but these 

 effects are rare and transient ; in a few hours, or at least 

 days, all the sources of beauty are renovated ; and Nature 

 affords no continued trains of misfortunes and miseries, 

 such as depend upon the constitution of humanity, no 

 hopes for ever blighted in the bud, no beings full of 

 life, beauty, and promise taken from us in the prime 

 of youth. Her fruits are all balmy, bright, and sweet ; 

 she affords none of those blighted ones so common in 

 the life of man and so like the fabled apples of the 

 Dead Sea, fresh and beautiful to the sight, but when 

 tasted full of bitterness and ashes.' 



On May 22 he writes, ' To my old haunt, Wurzen, 

 which is subline in the majesty of Alpine grandeur. 

 The snowy peaks of the Noric Alps rising above thunder- 

 clouds, whilst spring in all its bloom and beauty blooms 

 below, its buds and blossoms adorning the face of 

 nature under a frowning canopy of dark clouds, like 

 some Judith beauty of Italy a Transteverene brow 

 and eye and a mouth of Venus and the Graces.' 



On June 3 he wrote to his brother, Dr. Davy: 



Aussee, in Styria. 



Notwithstanding the long, severe, and depressing 

 malady under which I still labour I am not entirely without 

 hope of ultimate recovery, and the few pleasures which 

 retain in this my state of earthly purgatory have principally 

 reference to the enjoyments and prospects of my friends ; 



