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innocent sleep of childhood in the arms of Nature and the calm repose
of the old man in the same enfolding strength there stretches the long,
sleepless day of question, search, and suffering; at the end the wisest
returns to the goal from which he set out.

To the little child, Nature is a succession of new and wonderful
impressions. Coming he knows not whence, he opens his eyes upon a
world which is as new to him as is the virgin continent to the first
discoverer. It matters not that countless eyes have already opened and
closed on the same magical appearances, that numberless feet have
trodden the same paths; for him the morning star still shines on the
first day, and the dew of the primeval night is still on the flowers.
Day by day light and shadow fall in unbroken succession on the
sensitive surface of his mind, and gradually an elementary order
discovers itself in the regularity of these recurring impressions.
Form, colour, distance, size, relativity of position are felt rather
than seen, and the dim and confused mass of sensations discovers
something trustworthy and stable behind. Nature is now simple
appearance; thought has not begun to inquire where the lantern is
hidden which throws this wonderful picture on the clouds, nor who it is
that shifts the scenes. Day and night alternately spread out a
changeful succession of wonders simply that the young eyes may look
upon them; and grass is green and sky blue that young feet may find
soft resting-places and the young head a beautiful roof over it. Every
day is a new discovery, and every night receives into its dreams some
new object from the world of sights and sounds.

Nature surrounds her child with invisible teachers, and makes even its
play a training for the highest duties. Gradually, imperceptibly, she
expands the vision and suffers here and there a hint of something
deeper and more wonderful to stir and direct the young discoverer. He
sees the apple tree let fall its blossoms, and, lo! the fruit grows day
by day to a mellow and enticing ripeness under his eyes. Suddenly he
detects a hidden sequence between flower and fruit! The rose bush is
covered with buds, small, green, unsightly; a night passes, and,
behold! great clusters of blossoming flowers that call him by their
fragrance, and when he has come reward him with a miracle of colour.
Here is another mystery; and day by day they multiply and grow yet more
wonderful. These varied and marvello