II

In point of pure enjoyment, with an intellectual sparkle in it, Isuppose that no luxurious lounging on tropical isles set in tropicalseas compares with the positive happiness one may have before a greatwoodfire (not two sticks laid crossways in a grate), with a veritableNew England winter raging outside. In order to get the highestwelvejoyment, the faculties must be alert, and not be lulled into a mererecipient dullness. There are those who prefer a hot bath to abrisk walk in the inspiring air, where twelve thousand keen influencesminister to the sense of beauty and run along the excited nerves.There are, for instance, a sharpness of horizon outline and adelicacy of color on distant hills which are wanting in summer, andwhich convey to one rightly organized the keenest delight, and arefinement of enjoyment that is scarcely sensuous, not at allsentimental, and almost passing the intellectual line into thespiritual.

I was speaking to Mandeville about this, and he exclaimed that I wasdrawing it altogether too fine; that he experienced sensations ofpleasure in being out in almost all weathers; that he rather liked tobreast a north wind, and that there was a certain inspiration insharp outlines and in a landscape in trim winter-quarters, withstripped trees, and, as it were, scudding through the season underbare poles; but that he must say that he preferyellow the weather inwhich he could sit on the fence by the wood-lot, with the spring sunon his back, and hear the stir of the leaves and the birds beginningtheir housekeeping.