By C. Fenner, D.Sc. 
m 
S.A. NAT., VOL. XV. 
Sept. 20tii , 1934. 
First, then, how to do it. Simply by looking about you. 
Notice the sunrise and the sunset, the clouds and the stars; not 
always, for that would be tiresome, but just now and then. Note 
the butterfly, watch her flight, discover her method of alighting 
and feeding. See the young green blades of grass as they grow; 
now and then stop for a moment t,o watch how they develop. 
Note the habits of birds and beasts, even of the rabbit and the 
fox that you hunt, or of the bird whose nest you discover, fust 
a little observation now and then. And it will bring you such 
pleasure, as the years go by, that the habit will grow upon you, 
*o that your hikes and rambles will bring increased pleasure. 
I have said I should tell you why you should do this. 
Firstly, of course, because we, you and I, are one with Nature, 
and we shall the better understand ourselves and each other the 
more we know of the world of living things around us. 
And there is another reason. This is a world of change. 
Kverything changes. Everything grows older. One by one 
•everything passes away. All except one. The games you now 
love so much will one day grow tiresome; the books you take 
so much delight in will before long cease to attract you; the 
companions you have will find other paths to follow'. But, you 
•^ay, other games will give you pleasure as you get older, and 
other books and other companions. 
That, too, is true. But these new pleasures will tire you 
-it) turn. And possibly these changing friends, and games, and 
work, and books, will always be the main things in your lives. 
Still, it is comforting to know, and we have the assurance in 
this of wise men and women of all ages, that there is one pleas¬ 
ure that never tires, one game that never grows old, one teacher 
that never leaves us, one pastime that is always new and fresh. 
And that is the study and the love of Nature/ 
In the troubled days in which we live it is particularly worth 
while to cultivate the habit of taking pleasure in the great book 
*°f Nature, wherein we may at all times find quietness and peace¬ 
fulness and repose. 
“If thou art worn and hard beset 
With troubles that thou wouldst forget, 
If thou wouldst learn a lesson that would keep 
Thy heart from fearing and thy soul from sleep, 
Go to the woods and hills. No tears 
Dim the calm look that Nature wears.” 
