fe, be compelled to
live in cities and places which are chosen for other reasons than their
facilities for observing Natural Beauty. But whenever they can get
away from their ordinary duties the tendency of men--and a
tendency increasing in strength--is to fly away to the moors and
sea-coast and river-sides and wherever else they can see the beauties of
the Earth.

Then, again, men are increasingly sensitive about preserving Natural
Beauty wherever it is best. It is quite true that men by the building of
industrial towns and the erection of hideous factories, mining plant,
gasometers, and so on terribly destroy Natural Beauty. But they are
at least becoming conscious of their sins in this respect and of what
they have lost thereby. They are therefore the more anxious to
preserve what remains. And whenever there is an attempt to build on
Box Hill, or erect an electric power-station on Dartmoor, a howl of
execration is raised. And this howl means that men do value Natural
Beauty and mean to preserve it.

Young countries also realise its value. In California the Yosemite
Valley is preserved for ever for human enjoyment. And in Canada,
Australia, and South Africa national parks are protected against the
encroachments of industrial enterprises.

Men not only preserve spots of Natural Beauty; they also seek to
improve them. The nobleman of ancient lineage and the new
millionaire alike strive to add to the beauty of their estates. The
hours they love best are the hours they can devote to opening up
vistas, planting beautiful trees or flowering shrubs from distant lands,
building up rockeries, forming artificial lakes, laying out lawns, and
stocking their gardens with the choicest flowers.

The effect of Natural Beauty upon man and of man upon Natural
Beauty is immense. Geographers take note of the effect which the
Alps by reason of their height and ruggedness, or the Rhine by
reason of its length, breadth, and depth, have upon the activities of
men--upon their history, politics, and economic life. My contention
is that equally should geographers note the effect which these same
natural features of the Earth by reason of their _beauty_ have upon
men's activities and movements.

And when Natural Beauty is fully recognised as within the province
of Geography, we shall be taught to pay to it the attention it
deserves--taught to look for it, taught how to observe it, taught how
to describe it, taught where are the regions of