. The bird . llent bird is held by the Dutch. In their markets you maysee him standing peacefully on one foot, dreaming in the midst ofthe crowd, and feeling as safe as iH the heart of the deepest is a fantastic but well-assured fact, that the Dutch peasant whohas had the misfortune to wound his stork and to break his leg, pro-vides him with one of wood. To return: our residence near Nantes would have possessed aninfinite charm for a less absorbed mind. This beautiful spot, this greatliberty of work, this solitude, so sweet in such society, formed a rareharmony, such as one but seld
. The bird . llent bird is held by the Dutch. In their markets you maysee him standing peacefully on one foot, dreaming in the midst ofthe crowd, and feeling as safe as iH the heart of the deepest is a fantastic but well-assured fact, that the Dutch peasant whohas had the misfortune to wound his stork and to break his leg, pro-vides him with one of wood. To return: our residence near Nantes would have possessed aninfinite charm for a less absorbed mind. This beautiful spot, this greatliberty of work, this solitude, so sweet in such society, formed a rareharmony, such as one but seldom meets with in life. Its sweetnesscontrasted strongly with the thoughts of the present, with the gloomy THE STUDY OF NATURE. 47 past which then occupied my pen. I was w^riting of 93. Its heroicprimeval history enveloped, possessed, shall I say consumed, me. Allthe elements of happiness which surrounded me, which I sacrificed towork, adjourning them for a time that, according to all appearances, .\, -w. -~^^-^is-^f r-/>^^ — might never be mine, I regretted daily, and incessantly cast backupon them a look of sorrow. It was a daily battle of affection andnature, against the sombre thoughts of the human world. That battle for me will be always a powerful souvenir. Thescene hiis remained sacred in my thought. Elsewhere it no longerexists. The house is destroyed—another built on its site. And itis for this reason that I have dallied here a little. My cedar, how-ever, has survived ; a notable thing, for architects now-a-days hatetrees. When, however, I drew near the end of my task, some glimpsesof light enlivened the wild darkness. My sorrows were less keen,when I felt sure that I should thenceforth enjoy this memorial of acruel but fertile experience. Once more I began to hear the voices 48 HOW THE AUTHOR WAS LED TO of solitude, and more plainly I believe than at any other age, butslowly and with unaccustomed ear, like one who shall have been sometime dead, and have re
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidbird00mi, booksubjectbirds
