HALDON HILL. 57 
early corn, sloping down to pretty farmsteads, 
nestling in orchards wearing a rosy veil of bloom. 
Beneath the undulating hills, stretching far away, 
the boundless expanse of ocean, over which the 
advancing sun makes a pathway of light ; and as 
he comes up on his royal way, beacon after beacon, 
on the grey range of the Dartmoor Hills (which 
have been as it were a pillow for my Fern), 
proclaims to the yet sleeping world that the day 
god has arisen. On the right hand and on the 
left, beauty — beauty of tree and flower — beauty 
of hill and dale — beauty of rock and river— and 
beauty exceedingly glorified of ocean, girt on either 
hand by ruddy rocks boldly advancing into the 
angry waters or retiring far back, leaving a gentle 
sweep of bay, where ocean-tossed mariners find 
rest, and from whence the fisher's boat puts out 
in safety. 
Happy Botrychium, bred up in scenes like this ! 
No wonder you say to yourself, when I ruthlessly 
dig you up with my iron spade (the fibrous roots 
making a trowel useless), ^' One woman may dig 
5—2 
