THE WONDEES OF THE SHOEE. 55 



miles out and four miles in along a turnpike-road, 

 that liis hapless spirits discoursed 



** Of fate, free-will, foreknowledge absolute, 

 And found no end, in wandering mazes lost." 



Seriously, if we wish rural walks to do our 

 children any good, we must give them a love fox 

 rural sights, an object in every walk ; we must teach 

 them — and we can teach them — to find wonder in 

 every insect, sublimity in every hedgerow, the 

 records of past worlds in every pebble, and bound- 

 less fertility upon the barren shore ; and so, by 

 teaching them to make full use of that Kmited 

 sphere in which they now are, make them faithful 

 in a few things, that they may be fit hereafter to 

 be rulers over much. 



I may seem to exaggerate the advantages of such 

 studies ; but the question after all is one of expe- 

 rience : and I have had experience enough and to 

 spare that what I say is true. I have seen the 

 young man of fierce passions, and uncontrollable 

 daring, expend healthily that energy which threats 

 ened daily to plunge him into recklessness, if not 



