82 OUT OF DOORS. 



traveller's joy, because it is supposed only to grow on 

 the grounds of an honest man, and to wither straight- 

 way if he should fall into evil courses. Travellers, 

 therefore, who come upon this flower may rejoice in 

 their security, and place reliance upon the owner of the 

 soil they tread. 



Not in every part of England will you find the true 

 unsophisticated lane but there is no other country 

 where you will find even its semblance. Some years 

 since, a well-known American authoress paid her first 

 visit to England, and was greatly charmed by the 

 elucidation of a mystery which had long puzzled her 

 while reading descriptions of English country life. 

 Not until she had with her own eyes seen a genuine 

 country lane could she understand how children could 

 push themselves through the hedge after flowers, and 

 so tumble into the ditch. Our painters have long dis- 

 covered the value of lane scenery, and our truest poets 

 have not been behindhand in painting with glowing 

 words these uniquely lovely scenes of their native land. 



At this time of the year, the exquisitely delicate 

 tintings of the early leaves have passed away, and given 

 place to a dark luxuriance of foliage, sobered here and 

 there by the dried stalks of last year's vegetation, which 

 underlie the light summer verdure, and are wonderfully 

 effective in toning down the dappled greenage of the 

 living leaves. To all who are capable of appreciating 

 the many beauties of unrestrained nature the English 

 lane is very dear ; but to the field naturalist it derives 



