An April Day Dream 17 



so rich ? Poor and content is rich, and rich 

 enough! At least, let us not be forgetful 

 of the April days when the swallows, like 

 guardian spirits, attended upon us and filled 

 every path with pleasantness and peace. 



But it is useless to preach : that is some- 

 thing long since overdone in this world; 

 our bodies, far more than our minds, attend 

 upon it. We bless the first swallows of the 

 season and straightway forget them when the 

 thrush arrives ; and more, if they dare to 

 twitter, to remind us of April happiness 

 when we would revel in the ecstasy of May, 

 then we curse their impudence. They do 

 not grieve over it. Constant swallows ; in- 

 constant, miserably inconstant and inconsist- 

 ent man ! 



A lively clatter, as if the birds of summer 

 were dancing on dead leaves, roused me from 

 my fancies, and I was one with the present 

 world again. An April shower, a tearful 

 smile, as some one has not inaptly called it, 

 passed over the woods and across the meadows, 

 leaving in its train glittering glories that 

 dimmed even the early violets. 



Stand, if you will, at some commanding 

 point and overlook the landscape for miles 



