ry Book
rightly.

But it will take so much time and so much trouble.

God grant that you may not spend more time on worse matters, and take
more trouble over things which will profit you far less. But so it must
be, willy-nilly. You must learn the alphabet if you mean to read. And
you must learn the value of the figures before you can do a sum. Why,
what would you think of any one who sat down to play at cards--for money
too (which I hope and trust you never will do)--before he knew the names
of the cards, and which counted highest, and took the other?

Of course he would be very foolish.

Just as foolish are those who make up "theories" (as they call them)
about this world, and how it was made, before they have found out what
the world is made of. You might as well try to find out how this hay-
field was made, without finding out first what the hay is made of.

How the hay-field was made? Was it not always a hay-field?

Ah, yes; the old story, my child: Was not the earth always just what it
is now? Let us see for ourselves whether this was always a hay-field.

How?

Just pick out all the different kinds of plants and flowers you can find
round us here. How many do you think there are?

Oh--there seem to be four or five.

Just as there were three or four kinds of flies in the air. Pick them,
child, and count. Let us have facts.

How many? What! a dozen already?

Yes--and here is another, and another. Why, I have got I don't know how
many.

Why not? Bring them here, and let us see. Nine kinds of grasses, and a
rush. Six kinds of clovers and vetches; and besides, dandelion, and
rattle, and oxeye, and sorrel, and plantain, and buttercup, and a little
stitchwort, and pignut, and mouse-ear hawkweed, too, which nobody wants.

Why?

Because they are a sign that I am not a good farmer enough, and have not
quite turned my Wild into Field.

What do you mean?

Look outside the boundary fence, at the moors and woods; they are forest,
Wild--"Wald," as the Germans would call it. Inside the fence is
Field--"Feld," as the Germans would call it. Guess why?

Is it because the trees inside have been felled?

Well, some say so, who know more than I. But now go over the fence, and
see how many of these plants you can find on the moor.

Oh, I think I know. I am so often on the moor.

I think you would find more kinds outside than you fancy. But what do
you know?

That beside some short fine gr