NORTH DEVON. 75 
gamins of the London streets were gathered into 
schools and taught by him. It was spring time, 
and the lanes were sweet with the breath of 
flowers. By-and-by I spied a primrose root, and 
as I was about gathering the flowers my friend 
said : " Nay, leave them alone, they look so 
homelike ; they did not choose that quiet corner 
and deck it out so daintily for you to destroy their 
labours in a moment. Let them live." Nature, 
to the toil-worn London man, was a living, 
breathing presence ; he drank with a thirsty grate- 
ful heart at the fountain of her beauty; but he 
would fain have left the waters undisturbed for 
the enjoyment of others. Yet we, who boast 
ourselves such lovers of Nature, are often at best 
only destroyers. 
Lynton and Lynmouth abound in natural 
charms of a wild and strange character. The 
'^Valley of Eocks " brings to mind a shadow- 
like memory of the Pass of Glencoe, although 
the "Chimney" and ''Castle Rock," "Rugged 
Jack," and the " Devil's Cheesewring," never rise 
