157 
LOCALITY AND NATURE. 
By the side of the rivers of Exmoor there grows a great 
leaf, so large it almost calls to mind those tropical leaves 
of which umbrellas and even tents are made. This is 
of a rounder shape than those of the palm, it is an 
elephant’s ear among the foliage. The sweet river slips 
on with a murmuring song, for these are the rivers of the 
poets, and talk in verse for ever. Purple-tinted stones are 
strewn about the shallows flat like tiles, and out among 
the grass and the white orchis of the meadow. The 
floods carried them there and left them dry in the sun. 
Among these grows a thick bunch of mimulus or mon- 
key-plant, well known in gardens, here flourishing alone 
beside the stream. These two plants greatly interested 
me: the last because it had long been a favourite in an 
old garden and I had not before seen it growing wild; 
the other because though I knew its large leaf by repute, 
this was the first time I had come upon it. Now that 
little spot in the bend of the river by means of these 
two plants is firmly impressed in my memory, and is a 
joy to me whenever I think of it. The sunshine, the 
song of the water, the pleasant green grass, the white 
orchis, and the purplish stones were thereby rendered 
permanent to me. Such is the wonderful power of 
plants. To any one who takes a delight in wild flowers 
