76 ASSOCIATIONS. 



of his -white horse with a rosette of cherry-coloured 

 ribbons. 



Everything is rich, luxuriant, and promising, in 

 nature. The banks are crowded with the glossy, 

 black-spotted leaves of the Wake-robin, and the young 

 fronds of the Hart's tongue Fern. The Germander 

 Speedwell, that loveliest and most constant of spring 

 flowers, peeps out with its laughing blue eyes every 

 where from the rank herbage. Remembrances of last 

 spring, and of its pleasant walks about dear Ilfracombe, 

 come crowding over our hearts, like gushes of fra- 

 grance, or like the associations of some well remem- 

 beJted melody. We see the same flowers again, hear 

 the same music, bask in the same sunshine. It is one 

 advantage of the interchange of the seasons, that these 

 associations are continually refreshed ; we could not 

 go on enjoying so vividly the delightfulness of sum- 

 mer, if it were not interrupted by winter. Every 

 beauty bursts upon us with the charm of novelty, and 

 yet with the peculiar claim of old acquaintance. 



" eyil day ! if I were sullen, 



While the earth herself is adorning 

 This sweet May morning ; 

 And the children are pulling 

 On every side, 

 In a thousand valleys, far and wide. 



Fresh flowers ; while the sun shines warm. 

 And the babe leaps up on his mother's arm ; — 

 I hear, I hear, with joy I hear !" 



A lovely view suddenly opened seaward, which I 

 could not resist the temptation of sketching as I sat 

 on a gate. In front was a dell, chequered and parted 

 into fields by hedge-rows, and merging at length into 



