Nature quote for the day: CM reviews John Burroughs (Parents' Review Volume Two)

"BOOKS," [link fixed] by "The Editor" (Charlotte Mason).  The Parents' Review, Volume 2, no. 2, 1891/92, pg. 391-394.

"Pepacton, by John Burroughs. The 'Pepacton' appears to be the Indian name for the eastern branch of the Delaware, the author's native stream; and one summer he takes a naturalist's voyage down stream in a boat of his own building, and he tells us all he sees and hears and does as he punts down stream or camps on the banks with the peculiar charm of the Home Naturalist. Now he reminds you of Gilbert White, now of Gilpin, now of Isaac Walton, and you get to know the blue bird, the wood chuck, the hickory, the oriole, just as you know thrushes and tomtits and hawthorn bushes at home. Then, there is in the same little volume an 'Idyl of the Honey Bee,' and, 'A Bunch of Herbs,' wherein he is envious, for no American poet may see such a sight as Wordsworth's 'Host of golden daffodils;'

"but then, does he not give us a list of upwards of forty species of fragrant native wild flowers and flowering shrubs and trees to make up--several of them strangers to us?

"In Fresh Fields, Mr. Burroughs comes to England, chiefly to see what Nature is about with us.

"The publisher (David Douglas, Edinburgh) has done good service in introducing Mr. John Burroughs's 'Six Books of Nature, Animal Life, and Literature' to English readers in 'one shilling volumes.' They are, 'Winter Sunshine,' 'Locusts and Wild Honey,' 'Birds and Poets,' 'Pepacton,' 'Wake-Robin,' and 'Fresh Fields.' We cannot imagine a more delightful birthday gift for an intelligent boy or girl."



(Check out the little girl with the huge hairbow at 1:50!  Some comments on the film are here.)

Book cover photo found here.