BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 37 



delicacy and seeming artlessness in the form, and 

 the spirit that is in him — the old simple healthy 

 natural gladness in nature, and feeling of kinship 

 with all the children of life. 



But I do not wish to disturb anyone in his pre- 

 possessions. It would greatly trouble me to think 

 that my reader should, for the space of a page, or 

 even of a single line, find himself in opposition to 

 and not with me ; and I am free to admit that with 

 regard to poetry one's preferences change according 

 to the mood one happens to be in and to the con- 

 ditions generally. At home in murky London on 

 most days I should probably seek pleasure and 

 forgetfulness in Browning ; but in such surroundings 

 as I have been describing the lighter-hearted, elf- 

 like Melendez accords best with my spirit, one 

 whose finest songs are without human interest ; 

 who is irresponsible as the wind, and as unstained 

 with earthly care as the limpid running water he 

 deUghts in ; who is brother to bird and bee and 

 butterfly, and worships only liberty and sunshine, 

 and is in love with nothing but a flower. 



Nearly midway between the useful little bridge 

 and the rose-blossoming tangle I have spoken of 

 there were three elm-trees growing in the open 

 grassy space near the brook; they were not lofty, 

 but had very wide-spreading horizontal branches, 

 which made them look like oaks. This was an ideal 



