60 THE JOY OF GARDENS 



gains the ascendency; if we plume ourselves on rounding 

 out personal life, conceit plants a thousand faults to 

 sprout amain, and jealous enemies unite for our destruc- 

 tion. If we forget self, on the other hand, to uproot the 

 weeds and drive off aggressors, then the selfish fibers of 

 our hearts harden, the vision narrows, and the contest 

 robs man of his divinity. 



So fares the battle, and with the knowledge of it we 

 pray in the dark and work by day, asking for grace and 

 wielding the pruning hook alternately with the sword. 

 It is a glad fight when one resolves to be captain of his 

 soul. The Eden instincts soar for ideals; the viking blood 

 sweeps from reach the returning savage. Yes, it 's a brave 

 fight, this adventure of living, and a bit of byplay is the 

 weeding. 



After breakfast coffee the world looks brighter, and we 

 are willing to extend pardons to all early birds who 

 would feast on rising. As soon as the sunbonnet appears 

 at the doorway the scamps wing to their places in the 

 trees, and perhaps after all they have only eaten a proper 

 share of nature's providing. Who would do without 

 robins, for all the pansy beds; who would exterminate a 

 catbird because of his pranks, or banish the social spar- 

 rows? Under the sapphire blue of skies in June the 

 heart expands in good will and sings the great Ode to 

 Jov to an orchestration of winds in the trees and music of 



