Xli PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 



learned to appreciate the quiet beauties of a wide-extended 

 landscape as it spreads out majestically before him ; he views 

 with enthusiastic delight the startling grandeur of a mountain- 

 gorge as it suddenly bursts upon his sight; he wanders in 

 silent satisfaction through the murmuring forests of stately 

 oaks, and lingers for a while in pleasant meditation ere he 

 leaps the noisy gurgling streamlet that coquettishly crosses 

 his path. 



Then, resting for a time from his pursuits, our happy 

 sportsman plucks a half-hidden flower from its heathery bed, 

 listens to the far-resounding echoes of the unerring gun, joins 

 the merry laugh of his boon-companions, or returns the wild 

 halloo of approaching friends. 



Now again he slakes his burning thirst with the sparkling 

 waters of a mountain-spring, or laves his manly brow with the 

 crystal drops from the purling rill that so musically babbles at 

 his very feet ; and, giving full freedom to those warmer senti- 

 ments of the heart which too often become choked and stifled 

 by the close contact of selfish city life, he breathes a prayer 

 of gratitude to a beneficent Providence for all these enjoy- 

 ments, for all these pleasurable sensations. 



To the fields, then, to the bright and beautiful fields, to 

 the forests, all clothed in the gorgeous livery of the winter's 

 frosts, to the mountains, rich in eternal verdure, to the 

 limpid streams and gushing rills, do we once more invite you, 

 to spend those flitting hours of leisure vouchsafed to us all 

 amid the busy scenes of active life. 



