Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-11
NATURES TEAoaINGs.
Graduating Essay by Miss Carrie Z
J. Rickards OF ihe Giris' Higl


ScnOOis
Published by request.
Go forth into the open sky and list
To natures teachings.
-Bryant.
Who could desire more pleasant or
efficient teacherY TIE spacious arch
above ia, broad, sunny, landscape of
majestic forests, murmuring brooks, sing
Ing birds and blooming flowers about us,
teach us lessons of love and reverence
for the divine author OF the wondrous
creations
From these same natural beauties one
can learn lessons which prove valuable
in tnis work a-day world whore humanity
struggles for livelihood.
All learning ia not gained from books,
although most hooks are the expressions
Of great minds on the philosophical aid
beautiful peculiarities OF nature.
Much can be learned from companion
ship with nature in ell her sublimity,
beauty and instructivcneBs.
In this respect country reared children
have many advantages over those living
the city enjoying only few il any
glimpses OF natures dominions. How
could child reared on the Bowery in
New York City have the same knowledge
or love for nature aud her great Creator
as one who has lived among the beauties
OF Colorado scenery or one from London
exhibit the same genius as child from
ruRgsd and picturesque WarWics shire,
chat most famous county or England
The more we read of the scenery in
that portion OF the mother country the
better we can account for the genius Of
Shakespeare md George Eliot. Their
writings have a striking similarity due no
doubt to the it fl1ence OF the surround-
ings among which they were reared. The
mort besutitul ard greatly admired
1 historical figures in Shakespeare's master
/ tul plays and melo1ious sonnets are
| lrawn from the wonderful pecniisrities
J Of humble country life which he knew 30
we'll from contac. with it.
He himself saw and comprehepded the
lessons to be learned from the trees,
lowers, insect and animal life, when he
/ wrote;
Flnd tongues In trees, books in running
brooks.
Sermons IN stones and good in everything.
Milton's genins was developed by bis
yeurs Of retirement 1T Horton. The
rssuls OF his eompsnionship With nature
i this tiIae was tTo Of the most beauti
full aud Tyttmiogl poems ever written III
any tongue, "LAlleGro" and "Ilpenser.
oso.n
Ore can picture him book in hand
3etkiEg ont the spot mostly to be I'D.
sired by lover Of nature Che who
,ou,d not understand tho bs5sr traits o.
man nor NON his nohler ones
His soul o'eItiowed with enjoyment
nd was poured forth most inapiredly in
'L'Alleg'o;" and must not "l!Penseroso'
nave been written near a murmurinR
tream with the nightingale and whip.
poor will .fnr clf2
Americas yenius seems to heye been
,eared in the most beautiful places Of
his most beautiful country. We have
noted examples in Whittier living amopp
t'e glorious scenery OF Massachusetts
md Bsyard TAYLOR near MS in Psnnsyl
yauia. How much the latter loved Ant
admired his early surroundings can b,
cleaned from his novel "Story OF Ken
nett" aud some Of his excellent poems.
Helen Hunt Jackson, that greatly I'D
miEed aathOress, did not exhibit psniu
until she visited and saw the beauties o
our western country. Then book ate
hor zen. Her soul seemed too full 70
expression aud as the critics would say
She does all the better because she i
. sullv riue and has not exhausted hersel
with early productions"
, How RorgeOnB must the flowers be il
I. that far of western country. how subiim
|. the geysers OF California and tn
Colorado cnnons to have col ed fort
. Z F,,l A. ,,,o -
glowing Language. God surely has Doe
: kind 10 His children since He has give
Z them love for the sublime and beAutift
{ ia nature aud power to some 10 delineai
{ .hese qualifications in art.
: He surely meant US to appreciate an
enjoy these Qualities since lie has bee
+ % generous IN distributing them in a
Z 10 "otSs Of nature, for as Mary Hewit
has said
: God miSht have made the earth bring fort
Enough for one and ali,
The oak tree and the cedar tree,
Without flower M all.
b,iute has power ~ her teaching
layelop other classes of genius. A larg
lumber OF the worlds most epliner
chemists, artists. divinos and statesme
vera born end reared in the country
the worlds prnlt men nre not reared !
nslaces. Colfting rueiva'es but contat
1'th men strengthens. The people {
thia coultry lave long realized this.
g the barefoot hoy who enjoys life, il
voluntarily strdisa nature in his dali
0nuis Of cork and play and in the en-
achieves distinction.
IhB iiIt!a iaen hAa for his oon7ta'
companions, birds. insects arG animal
Whittier has described the joys OF Il
barefoot hey md his carly mode Of o
tain'ng al education in a poem by tn