II 4 AN ISLAND GARDEN 



devours and destroys, in the forms of slug and 

 cutworm and all hideous shapes, is utterly forgot- 

 ten as we watch these ethereal beings, fluttering, 

 quivering, darting, dancing, wavering, wheeling, 

 rejoicing aloft in merry flight. The Larkspur 

 spikes bend with the weight of the booming bees, 

 the whole blossoming space is alive with many- 

 colored butterflies like floating flowers, and the 

 humming-birds are a perpetual pleasure. They 

 are astir even before sunrise, when the air is yet 

 chill with the breath of the retreating night, 

 there they are, vibrating with their soft humming 

 over the Larkspur blossoms which are themselves 

 like exquisite azure birds all poised for flight, 

 or diving deep into the fragrant trumpets of the 

 Honeysuckle, everywhere flashing in emerald and 

 ruby as the sun's first beams strike them, like the 

 living jewels they are. Their fearlessness is some- 

 thing amazing. I never shall forget the surprise 

 of joy that filled me when for the first time one 

 alighted on my sleeve and rested, as much at home 

 as if I were a stick or a harmless twig ! Sparrows 

 and nuthatches had often alighted on my head as 

 I stood musing over my flowers, perfectly still, 

 but to have this tiny spark of brilliant life come 

 to anchor, as it were, on anything so earthly as my 

 arm was indeed a nine days' wonder ! Now it has 

 grown to be an old story, but it is never any less 

 delightful. 



August 1 8th. This morning the garden was so 

 dry again when I sought it at sunrise, in spite of 

 the heavy dew, that I took the hose and turned 

 on the water, showering the whole place most 



