BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 37 



delicacy and seeming artlessness in the form, and 

 the spirit that is in him the old simple healthy 

 natural gladness in nature, and feeling of kinship 

 with all the children of life* 



But I do not wish to disturb anyone in his pre- 

 possessions* It would greatly trouble me to think 

 that my reader should, for the space of a page, or 

 even of a single line, find himself in opposition to 

 and not with me ; and I am free to admit that with 

 regard to poetry one's preferences change according 

 to the mood one happens to be in and to the con- 

 ditions generally* At home in murky London on 

 most days I should probably seek pleasure and 

 forgetfulness in Browning ; but in such surroundings 

 as I have been describing the lighter-hearted, elf- 

 like Melendez accords best with my spirit, one 

 whose finest songs are without human interest ; 

 who is irresponsible as the wind, and as unstained 

 with earthly care as the limpid running water he 

 delights in ; who is brother to bird and bee and 

 butterfly, and worships only liberty and sunshine, 

 and is in love with nothing but a flower. 



Nearly midway between the useful little bridge 

 and the rose-blossoming tangle I have spoken of 

 there were three elm-trees growing in the open 

 grassy space near the brook; they were not lofty, 

 but had very wide-spreading horizontal branches, 

 which made them look like oaks. This was an ideal 



