68 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
The view will well repay a look, for a charming 
sight is spread out below—hill-side and valley, 
town and river. 
Upwards—narrowing as it goes—winds the 
lane. And now, for a moment, the bright valley 
which we have left below us is forgotten in the 
new sight which refreshes the eye. Hitherto the 
sunlight has shone upon the path; but here our 
lane becomes suddenly darkened as it creeps 
under the shadow of higher hedge-banks, and of 
overhanging trees. Just one glance through a 
breach in the shady mound which helps to shut 
out the sunshine, and the eye will catch a lovely 
glimpse of the hill-side sloping down into the 
valley below. The bright peep charmingly con¬ 
trasts, with the dark depths of the lane. But in 
this dark and cool retreat Fern-life is predomi¬ 
nant. 
On the right the thick hedge-bank is covered 
with an almost impenetrable mass of bushes, which 
rise high above its top, shedding upon it the dim¬ 
ness of evening twilight. Growing out against 
the dark background of bushes are some luxuriant 
specimens of the Common Hartstongue ( ,ScoIo - 
