[8]: 'Ye fields and woods, my refuge from the toilsome world of business, receive me in your quiet sanctuaries and favour my Retreat and thoughtful Solitude. Ye verdant plains, how gladly I salute ye! Hail all ye blissful Mansions! Known Seats! Delightful Prospects! Majestick Beautys of this earth, and all ye rural Powers and Graces! Bless'd be ye chaste Abodes of happiest Mortals who here in peaceful Innocence enjoy a Life unenvy'd, the Divine, whilst with its bless'd Tranquility it affords a happy Leisure and Retreat for Man, who, made for contemplation and to search his own and other natures, may here best meditate the cause of Things, and, plac'd amidst the various scenes of Nature, may nearer view her Works. O glorious Nature! supremely fair and sovereignly good! All-loving and All-lovely All-Divine! Whose looks are so becoming, and of such infinite grace, whose study brings such Wisdom, and whose contemplation such Delight.... Since by thee (O Sovereign mind!) I have been form'd such as I am, intelligent and rational; since the peculiar Dignity of my Nature is to know and contemplate Thee; permit that with due freedom I exert those Facultys with which thou hast adorn'd me. Bear with my ventrous and bold approach. And since not vain Curiosity, nor fond Conceit, nor Love of aught save Thee alone, inspires me with such thoughts as these, be thou my Assistant, and guide me in this Pursuit; whilst I venture thus to tread the Labyrinth of wide Nature, and endeavour to trace thee in thy Works.'
[9]: Comp. Jacob von Falke, 'Der englische Garten' (Nord und Süd, Nov. 1884), and his Geschichte des modernen Geschmacks.
[10]: Dessins des édifices, meubles, habits, machines, et utensils des Chinois, 1757.
CHAPTER X
[1]: 'Die Alpen im Lichte verschiedener Zeitalter,' Sammlung wissenschaftlicher Vorträge, Virchow und Holtzendorff. Berlin, 1877.
[2]:
Geschäfte Zwang und Grillen Entweihn nicht diese Trift;
Ich finde hier im Stillen Des Unmuts Gegengift.
Es webet, wallt, und spielet, Das Laub um jeden Strauch,
Und jede Staude fühlet Des lauen Zephyrs Hauch.