The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Heart of Nature, by Francis Younghusband

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Title: The Heart of Nature
or, The Quest for Natural Beauty

Author: Francis Younghusband

Release Date: November 9, 2008 [EBook #27213]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HEART OF NATURE ***

Produced by Ruth Hart

[Note: for this online edition I have moved the Table of Contents to
the beginning of the text and added three asterisks to mark breaks
between sections. I have also made the following spelling
changes: latitute to latitude and mountain ash berberis to mountain
ash berberries]

THE HEART OF NATURE

OR

THE QUEST FOR NATURAL BEAUTY

BY SIR FRANCIS YOUNGHUSBAND
K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E.
PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
AUTHOR OF "THE HEART OF A CONTINENT"

LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET
1921

CONTENTS

Preface ix-x
Introduction xv-xxviii

PART I

Chapter I. The Sikkim Himalaya. The sacred Ganges--A beneficent
power--Beauty of the plains--First sight of the Himalaya 3-12

Chapter II. The Teesta Valley. Mystery of the forest--The gorges
--Sequestered glens 13-19

Chapter III. The Forest. Butterflies--Ferns--Orchids--Flower
friends--Rhododendrons--Temperate vegetation--Primulas--Artic
vegetation--The range of vegetation 20-37

Chapter IV. The Denizens of the Forest. Butterflies--Moths--Birds
--Reptiles--Mammals--Animal beauty--Primitive man--Higher races
38-54

Chapter V. The Sum Impression. Two views of Nature--Variety of
life--Intensity of life--The battle of life--Adaptation and selection
--Purposiveness--Purposeful structures--Interdependence--Organising
Activity--Gradation--Care of offspring--the Activity not mechanical
but Spiritual--Nature's end--a Common aspiration 55-85

Chapter VI. Kinchinjunga. The foothills--Darjiling--A vision of the
mountain--Full view--Mountain grandeur--Dawn on the mountain
--Sunset on the mountain 86-99

Chapter VII. High Solitudes. Kashmir--Barren mountains--Dazzling
peaks--Purity of beauty 100-108

Chapter VIII. The Heavens. Desert sunsets--Tibetan sunsets--The
stars--The whole universe our home--A Heaven