hyxia." When
I would recreate myself, I seek the darkest wood, the thickest and most
interminable, and, to the citizen, most dismal swamp. I enter a swamp as
a sacred place--a _sanctum sanctorum_. There is the strength, the marrow
of Nature. The wild-wood covers the virgin mould--and the same soil is
good for men and for trees. A man's health requires as many acres of
meadow to his prospect as his farm does loads of muck. There are the
strong meats on which he feeds. A town is saved, not more by the
righteous men in it than by the woods and swamps that surround it. A
township where one primitive forest waves above while another primitive
forest rots below--such a town is fitted to raise not only corn and
potatoes, but poets and philosophers for the coming ages. In such a soil
grew Homer and Confucius and the rest, and out of such a wilderness
comes the Reformer eating locusts and wild honey.

"MARY POWELL"
[Sidenote: _Anonymous_]

_Journall_

Forest Hill, _May 1st, 1643_.

Seventeenth Birthday. A gypsie Woman at the Gate would fame have tolde
my Fortune; but _Mother_ chased her away, saying she had doubtless
harboured in some of the low Houses in _Oxford_, and mighte bring us the
Plague. Coulde have cried for Vexation; she had promised to tell me the
Colour of my Husband's Eyes; but _Mother_ says she believes I shall
never have one, I am soe sillie. _Father_ gave me a gold Piece. Dear
_Mother_ is chafed, methinks, touching this Debt of five hundred Pounds,
which _Father_ says he knows not how to pay. Indeed, he sayd,
overnighte, his whole personal Estate amounts to but five hundred
Pounds, his Timber and Wood to four hundred more, or thereabouts; and
the Tithes and Messuages of _Whateley_ are no great Matter, being
mortgaged for about as much more, and he hath lent Sights of Money to
them that won't pay, so 'tis hard to be thus prest. Poor _Father!_ 'twas
good of him to give me this gold Piece.

May 2nd.--Cousin _Rose_ married to Master _Roger Agnew_. Present,
_Father, Mother,_ and _Brother_ of _Rose_; _Father, Mother, Dick, Bob,
Harry_, and I; Squire _Paice_ and his Daughter _Audrey_; an olde Aunt of
Master _Roger's_, and one of his Cousins, a stiffe-backed Man with
large Eares, and such a long Nose! Cousin _Rose_ looked
bewtifulle--pitie so faire a Girl should marry so olde a Man--'tis
thoughte he wants not manie Years of fifty.

May 7th.--New misfortunes in the Poultrie Yarde. Poor _Mother's_ Loyalty
canno