As I shut this book it reminded me of a poem called _To Deck a Woman_, by Mr. Ralph Hodgson, where a similar rapt picture of a manless Eden is painted, but with a passion that is controlled to a quivering repose by an art finer than Montgomery’s. There the passion is double, for the poet’s love of the life and beauty of birds is turned to an anger too deep for hate against the woman Bloodwant, “shrill for Beauty’s veins,” and the men who satisfy--and provoke--her desire for feathers. The same poet’s _Stupidity Street_ is a curious instance of passion submitting itself to the quietest of smiling rhymes:--
I saw with open eyes Singing birds sweet Sold in the shops for The people to eat, Sold in the shops of Stupidity Street.
I saw in vision The worm in the wheat And in the shops nothing For people to eat, Nothing for sale in Stupidity Street.
I was glad that I had taken _Pelican Island_ with me as my only book; for if I had not I might very likely never have read it. Yet it might have escaped me even though it was in my pocket. Unless a man always carries a book with him, when he does take one it is often a little too well chosen, or rather chosen too deliberately, because it is a very good one, or is just the right one, or is one that ought to be read. But walking is apt to relieve him of the kind of conscience that obeys such choices. At best he opens the book and yawns and shuts it. He may look about him for any distraction rather than this book. He reads through a country newspaper, beginning and ending with the advertisements. He looks at every picture in an illustrated magazine. He looks out of the window for some temptation. He takes down _The Lamplighter_ or Mrs. Humphry Ward’s _East Lynne_ from the landlord’s shelves. He looks through the magazine again. If he opens the choice book he finds in it an irresistible command to go to bed at nine o’clock. The same book may be taken out thus a score of times, and acquire a friendly and well-read appearance.
SEVENTH DAY--STREATLEY TO SPARSHOLT, ON THE RIDGEWAY, BY SCUTCHAMER KNOB AND LETCOMBE CASTLE