DARTMOOR SCENERY. 
3 
gives record, by the “ auri sacra fames” the victims 
of which desire left no spot uninvestigated from 
the time of their acquaintance with the localities 
and strata calculated to external view to be metal¬ 
liferous, and might well indeed look cheerfully on 
the superficial unproductiveness of the Moor and 
regard complacently the frowning and bleak hills, 
out of the bowels of which the precious object of 
their care proceeded. How differently does civilized 
man view this region ! How differently do the 
thoughts of the Naturalist turn, as he paces con¬ 
siderately these barren heights ! Contrast is the 
grand prevailing sentiment as he bends his steps 
northward, from the beautiful South Hams, and 
views the immense granite hills which are his des¬ 
tination, and where austerity, sterility, and death¬ 
like stillness, hold their reign ! It is the especial 
attribute of intellect to find 
“-tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 
a 
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.” 
moreover, the well-ordered mind continually reflects 
that in external “ Nature there is nothing melan¬ 
choly,”—that every thing may conduce to a 
satisfactory increase of knowledge, and render the 
head and heart conjointly benefitted, otherwise 
indeed, the lines of Wordsworth might be cited as 
appropriately descriptive of the tract of country to 
which we are now supposing ourselves on a visit, 
“ I looked upon the scene both far and near, 
More doleful place did never eye survey, 
It seemed as if the spring time came not here, 
Or nature here was willing to decay.” 
Change of scenery has one extraordinary and 
most usefully exciting effect upon our minds, since 
fresh associations and fresh ideas are at once 
B 2 
