THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FAEM. 303 



(which of course no labourers endorse, since " man 

 never is, but always to be blest") has been brought about 

 by our repeated observation of the delight this solitary 

 orange tree has afforded our circle so long ; in fact a 

 full earnest share of purest Mediterranean enjoyment, 

 through first its flowers and then its fruit, much more 

 probably than the nobleman receives from the whole 

 grove which his half-acre of glass encloses, not to men- 

 tion the relief which lesser expense and diminished 

 care guarantee. The clever, well-cared-for pony gives 

 as much gratification to its owner as the stud of horses. 

 Happiness, in fact, hangs about upon every twig, if we 

 only determine to see it. 



Reflection — (lost the count now, and my pipe is 

 nearly out). It is hard lines, that this severe weather 

 should have returned. I just found the rooks boring 

 into the delicious interior of the swede bulbs, while the 

 wild pigeons are legion in the vicinity of the pheasant 

 food, and upon my honour (I thought at first it was 

 one's piebald whiskers one got a glimpse of) only fancy 

 a pair of magpies, too, taking fearless advantage of the 

 store ! All's food that comes to the net with them, I 

 conclude, as with any other pilferers. Talking of that, 

 the children towards the finish of the late frost got 

 their skating-ground mangled by some poaching rascal, 

 who discerned a stranded salmon through a foot of 

 ice and took advantage of the dark to mine it out. 

 After a flood, with severe frost following, they are found 

 not unseldom in the ditches of the meadows that adjoin 

 our river. 



No one who has ever commenced the use of steam- 

 power upon his farm would ever do without it again. 

 Astonishing was our inconvenience lately, when, owing 



