410 SOURCE OF A LIFE'S LIKING. 



recalled here the period of our early life, the narrow verdant 

 tract which we have just revisited, -but because there, as at its 

 source, arose our life-long love and liking for our favourite 

 and allied pursuits. Like a fertilizing spring now hidden 

 underground, now re-appearing, our then awakened love for 

 things of nature has often since been buried, lost to all ap- 

 pearance, beneath the earthy weight of worldy care and forced 

 distasteful occupation ; but, like the same refreshing stream, 

 it has burst forth again at every interval of freedom, and now 

 broadly irrigates the level, and else perhaps barren plain which 

 borders on " the better country." Looking back, too, not 

 alone on our spring sunshine, but also on the early frosts 

 which appeared unkindly to cut off our promise, we seem to 

 perceive now that we are enjoying autumn fruits which but 

 for those very frosts might never have been formed sacrificed, 

 perhaps, to leafiing more abundant. Or, to illustrate what we 

 mean by a comparison more accordant with our prevailing 

 subject the butterfly, whose wings on their first expansion 

 have been rudely handled, battered by a hailstorm, or even 

 somewhat stinted by compression of its chrysalidan cover, 

 may show but shabby painting or lack-lustre plumage beside 

 its fellows, may be restricted even to less aspiring flights ; but 

 little need it envy its more gay companions, if yet able to flit 

 amongst the lowlier flowers, sip their honey, and enjoy the 

 sunshine and the balmy air, while its sobered colouring serves 

 to protect it from the capturing nets and preying bills 



