FLIGHT OF THE WOOD-NYMPHS. 321 



multitude and variety of wild flowers that grew there, 

 and the many pleasant arbors afTorded by the woods 

 that overshadowed the borders of the lake. On these 

 green hill-sides they might often be seen weaving chains 

 of the stems of the dandelion, or stringing white and 

 blue violets upon a thread, with which they made gar- 

 lands and necklaces to add to their own simple apparel. 

 Later in the season, old and young resorted hither, to 

 gather berries that grew abundantly in these grounds 

 and the neighboring pastures. Many a May-queen has 

 been crowned with the trailing ever^eens that abounded 

 in these wild lands, and covered the meadows with ver- 

 dure in the depth of winter; and the children have 

 returned home with baskets full of checkerberries and 

 garlanded with early spring flowers. 



There was something about the whole aspect of this 

 place that was unaccountably delightful. Every one 

 who visited it felt inspired with a mysterious sense of 

 cheerfulness and pensive delight, that could hardly be 

 explained, as there were in the same village many mag- 

 nificent country-seats, with highly ornamented grounds, 

 that failed in awakening any such emotions. Here 

 nothing had ever been done to add a single ornament 

 to the face of nature, but in all parts of the landscape 

 there was a beauty that seemed unattainable by art. It 

 became evident, at last, that these groves and pastures 

 must be the residence of the rural deities, who, by their 

 invisible presence, inspired every heart with those de- 

 lightful sentiments, which, though not entirely unfelt on 

 earth, are well known only in Paradise. It was the 

 presence of these deities that yielded the place its mys- 

 terious charms. It was the naiad wiio gave romantic 

 melody to the fountain that bubbled up from the mossy 

 glen in the hill-side, and spread the hue of beauty over 



