198 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 



not from the merit of the poem, that Dr. Hake is 

 a bad naturalist, even as Shakespeare and Brown- 

 ing and Tennyson were, and draws his snake badly, 

 with venomous stinging tongue, and flaming eyes 

 that fascinate at too great a distance. Fables 

 notwithstanding, he has with the poet's insight, 

 in a moment of rare inspiration, captured the very 

 illusive spirit of Nature, to make it pervade and 

 glorify his picture. The sunny, brilliant, declining 

 day, the joyous wild melody of birds, the low 

 whispering wind, the cool greenness of earth, 

 where 



The pool is bright with glossy dyes 



And cast-up bubbles of decay : 



and everywhere, hidden in grass and brake, re- 

 leased at length from the spell that made them 

 powerless, coming ever nearer and nearer, yet as 

 though they came not, the subtle, silent, watchful 

 snakes. Strangely real and vivid is the picture 

 conjured up ; the everlasting life and gladness at 

 the surface, the underlying mystery and melan- 

 choly — the failing power of the old man and 

 vanishing incantation ; the tremendous retribution 

 of Nature, her ministers of vengeance ever imper- 

 ceptibly gliding nearer. 



Yet where his soul is he must go, 



albeit now only to be mocked on the scene of his 

 old beloved triumphs : 



For all that live in brake and bough — 

 All know the brand is on his brow. 



