The Love of Nature 



his famihar hills, new flowers spring up in 



his familiar woods, and every long-loved 

 shrub and tree assume new aspects with 

 each season's growth and alterations. The 

 changes which Nature brings every moment 

 before his eyes will satiate his desire for 

 novelty. 



This is the true secret of every kind of 

 love : if a thing really appeals to us, the 

 better we know it the more we care about 

 it. The true lover of Nature loves her as 

 he loves mankind. He has his favorite 

 corners of the world as he has his friends, 

 and does not constantly wish to exchange 

 them for others, or perpetually contrast their 

 attractions with the attractions of others. 

 If everyone admires them his joy in them 

 is increased ; but if he is almost alone in 

 his appreciation, this fact is in itself the 

 source of a special kind of pleasure and 

 pride. He seeks for novelty and freshness 

 in Nature as he likes to make acquaintance 

 with interesting strangers, but comes back 

 as gladly to the familiar scene as to the 

 familiar face. The tree which he has 

 watched as it grew from a sapling to fine 



