STORKS IN A CHUKCH YARD. 181 



luxuriant hothouse, made by Nature for herself, but taken 

 possession of by man, who has studded it with gay houses 

 and formal gardens. How great would be the desire of 

 every admirer of nature to behold, if such were possible, 

 the scenery of another planet ! yet to every person in 

 Europe it may be truly said that, at the distance of only 

 a few degrees from his native soil, the glories of another 

 world are opened to him. In my last walk, I stopped 

 again and again to gaze at these beauties, and endeavoured 

 to fix in my mind for ever, an impression which at the 

 time I knew sooner or later must fail. The form of the 

 orange-tree, the cocoa-nut, the palm, the mango, the tree- 

 fern, the banana, will remain clear and separate ; but the 

 thousand beauties which unite these into one perfect scene 

 must fade away ; yet they will leave, like a tale heard in 

 childhood, a picture full of indistinct, but most beautiful 

 figures/' * 



The late James Wilson made his first acquaintance 

 with the storks of Holland under very impressive circum- 

 stances. One summer evening, of a beautifully calm and 

 serene character, he had sauntered into a churchyard, and 

 found himself, when the sun had set, and the dim twilight 

 was fading into darkness, alone. All was solemnly still, 

 as became the scene ; not a sound being audible to dis- 

 turb the perfect solitude and silence with which he was 

 surrounded. Suddenly, a soft and winnowing sound in 

 the air attracted his attention, and, looking up, with invo- 

 luntary thoughts of angels and spiritual visitants, he saw 



* Rtkl.. eh. xxL 



