PROMISE 85 



the blackthorn and the whitethorn, they frill and 

 tucker the baby tree as freely as they cling like his 

 pall to the venerable ancient. Certain willows, too, 

 especially attract them as host ; and the strange, 

 exquisite growths of these rock-lovers and bark-lovers 

 — some rough and harsh, some delicate as a dream — 

 appear to rise into life upon the soft, rainy winds that 

 come out of the South and the West. To the very 

 ends of antique boughs they push and cling ; and now 

 the crimson and snow of the flowers peep from among 

 their encrustations, while in Autumn the ripening 

 harvest will gleam there. 



The apple-blossom under direct sunshine is alive 

 with pure light and wonderful blue shades, for petal- 

 shadow thrown on petal strikes a cool, soft blue, as 

 I see it — doubtless by contrast with the brilliance 

 of flower and ruby bud under direct sunlight. The 

 pageant passes from wealth of detail close at hand 

 into dim splendour seen afar. A little distance from 

 me the atmosphere comes between, makes its presence 

 felt, touches the leaf and bough and blossom-mass, 

 brings all together, and softens every line and curve 

 with sleepy summer air. Against this curtain gleam 

 the bees ; the wind moves a lazy leaf to let a 

 sunbeam through ; the blackbird — who alone of 

 birds can put imagination into his song — flutes 

 it unseen ; the chaffinch — optimist that he is — 

 utters an assurance that all promises exceedingly 

 well with his world, and hops to the grey lichen- 

 covered home in an apple-fork. His wing sends 



