298 STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



versed, and were animals to become sleek when engaged 

 in rustic employments, and rough and hairy when fed 

 and combed and pampered by wealthy and lordly mas- 

 ters, in that case the sleekest animals would be the 

 most picturesque. The squirrel, which is a sleek and 

 graceful animal, is, in spite of these qualities, more 

 picturesque than the rough and rusty looking rat. In 

 this instance the usual principle is reversed, because the 

 smoothness and gracefulness of the squirrel are asso- 

 ciated with his interesting habits of playfulness and 

 agility, while running about from branch to branch 

 among his native groves. On the contrary, the smooth 

 and symmetrical horse cannot, by any pictorial accom- 

 paniments, be made so expressive as the rough and 

 homely ass. 



I have just alluded to the squirrel as one of the most 

 picturesque of the smaller animals ; but it is worthy of 

 notice that it must be represented in its native habitats 

 to express this character in full force. Though a squir- 

 rel in a cage is a beautiful object, especially when turn- 

 ing his revolving grate by the rapid motions of his feet, 

 yet a picture of one in that situation would have none 

 of that suggestiveness of poetical and agreeable fancies 

 that renders a scene picturesque. In a representation 

 of a little cottage in the woods nothing could add 

 more to its pleasing pastoral expression than the figure 

 of a squirrel running along on a stonewall or on the 

 branch of an old tree. The sight awakens all those 

 poetical images which are associated with life in the 

 fields. Place the squirrel in a cage and it reminds us 

 only of the town, and expresses nothing tha . is agree- 

 able to a poetic fancy. Every wild animal tjust appear 

 to be enjoying its freedom, or the representation of it 

 would fail in giving any delight. The same is true of 



