EHo Lay of the Land 
is good at times just to know that you are turning 
with the earth under the blue of the sky; and just 
as good again to puzzle over the size of the spots in 
the breasts of our several thrushes. For I believe 
you can hear more in the song when you know it is 
the veery and not the wood thrush singing. Indeed, 
I am acquainted with persons who had lived neigh- 
bors to the veery since childhood, and never had 
heard its song until the bird was pointed out to 
them. Then they could not help but hear. 
No amount of familiarity will breed contempt for 
your fields. Is the summer’s longest, brightest day 
long enough and bright enough, to dispel the brood- 
ing mystery of the briefest of its nights? And tell 
me, what of the vastness and terror of the sea will 
the deep dredges ever bring to the surface, or all 
the circumnavigating drive to shore? The nature- 
lover is a man in a particular mood; the nature- 
student is the same man in another mood, as the 
fading shadows of the morning are the same that 
lengthen and deepen in the afternoon. There are 
times when he will go apart into the desert places 
to pray. Most of the time, however, he will live con- 
tentedly within sound of the dinner horn, glad of 
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