e down, and
stretch himself out, and look up into the sky, and watch the flowers
and leaves pictured and playing there--provided he be not more than
half asleep, and has a duffel great-coat under him, water-proof shoes
and a snug umbrella within reach, and no fear of the rheumatism; he
may find it one of the pleasantest things in the world; though it may
happen that he has no idea of poetry, and cares for nothing on earth
beyond a pair of embroidered slippers, a warm, padded, comfortable
dressing-gown, or a snuff-colored cigar if at home; or a fishing-rod,
a doubtful sky, and a bit of a brook, all to himself, when he is out
in the open air. And in short, for I love to come to the point, (in
these matters,) all I ask of you, being a bachelor, is to admit--

I'll admit any thing, if you'll stop there.

Agreed. You admit, then, that an old bachelor, wedded to trout-fishing
and tobacco-smoke; familiar with nothing but whist, yarn stockings,
flannels and shooting-jackets; without the least possible relish for
landscape or color, for the twittering of birds, or the swarming of
bumble-bees and forest-leaves; with no sense of poetry, and a mortal
hatred of rigmarole, may nevertheless and notwithstanding--

Better take breath, sir.

May notwithstanding and nevertheless, I say, find something worth
looking at, on a warm summer afternoon, though he be lying half asleep
on his back, with the clover-blossoms and buttercups nodding over him;
to say nothing of thistle-tops, dandelions or white-weed--

I do--I do!--I'll admit any thing, as I told you before.

Well, then--in that case--I do not see what difficulty there would be
in supposing that _any_ man might find something to be good-natured
with _anywhere_.

Not so fast, if you please. Would you have it inferred, because an old
bachelor, whose comforts are few--and _far_ between!--and whose
habits--and opinions--are fixed forever, could put up with Nature for
a short summer afternoon, under the circumstances you mention--with a
great-coat under him, and a reasonable share of other comforts within
reach, that, _therefore_, anybody on earth, a married man, for
example, should find it a very easy thing to be happy _any_ where,
under _any_ circumstances?--even at home now, for instance, with his
wife and children about him?

Precisely. And now, sir, to convince you. If you will but place
yourself at an open window in the "leafy month of June," and watch the
play of her green