20 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE chap. 



glooms, and out of their black arches shall 

 come tripping children, like white fairies, to 

 laugh and talk with the girl who lies dream- 

 ing and reading in the hammock there, beneath 

 the black velvet canopy of the great cedar 

 tree, like some fair tropic flower hanging from 

 its boughs ; and we will sit down, and eat 

 and drink among the burdock leaves, and 

 then watch the quiet house, and lawn, and 

 flowers, and fair human creatures, and shining 

 water, all sleeping breathless in the glorious 

 light beneath the glorious blue, till we doze 

 off, lulled by the murmur of a thousand in- 

 sects, and the rich minstrelsy of nightingale 

 and blackcap, thrush and dove. 



" Peaceful, graceful, complete English coun- 

 try life and country houses ; everywhere fin- 

 ish and polish ; Nature perfected by the wealth 

 and art of peaceful centuries ! Why should 

 I exchange you, even for the sight of all the 

 Alps ? " 



Though Jefferies was unfortunately never 

 able to travel, few men have loved Nature 

 more devotedly, arid speaking of his own 

 home he expresses his opinion that : " Of all 



