Welsh Journals

WALES. Vol. iv.] FEBRUARY 1897. [No. 84. IN THE GARDEN AND THE HOUSE OF REST. By Edmund J. Baiixie. I . — INTRODUCTORY. TT is my privileged purpose to write a *■ series of articles under the title of "In the Garden and the House of Rest," and it may be well that, at the outset, in introducing myself to ourselves, I should, so far, explain the range and scope of the subject,—or I should, perhaps, say the subjects,—which the title may be allowed to cover and in¬ clude. It will be observed that there is a sug¬ gestion of a two¬ fold condition,— the open air of the garden and the shelter of the roof; the busy throb of occupa¬ tion with the calm restfulness of home. But it comes even nearer,—may it not be read as symbolic of life's activity and its passive hours of leisure ? Hence, in breadth of sweep, applied personally, the wide field of man's life and surroundings is included in the figure of speech which stands for a heading,—chosen to give point and purpose to our thought as directed towards men and things. I have just written "men and things." How marvellously varied and diverse are the incidents which may thus be touched when writing upon matters pertaining to 3 25 Llangamma»ch Lakh life. And in speaking of life I wish the term to mean more than mere existence; for as time is but a phase of the eternal, so existence here is but a phase of that condition which is known to us as life,— as Be-ing. And when our eyes are rightly opened, how everything seems to whisper, in the awe of mystery, the secrets and suggestions of Infinity! I re¬ member when I was a schoolboy it was a standing wonder to me to realize that seven hundred and twenty changes could be rung upon a peal of six bells. It has never ceased to be a source of sur¬ prise that with¬ in the compass of the key board of the piano there lies,—slumbering silently till touch¬ ed, and the spirit of sound is stirred into living utter¬ ance,—practically unlimited resources in musical variation, in endless combinations to be brought into order at the call of that magic wand, the baton, exercising its weird and wonderful influence over the genius waiting and watching its directing beat, like an aerial pulse, that sets the breath a-marching and floods the heart with warm melodies,— songs without words, but articulate and < . nii^ i ilfli SI "m~~ rtr" ' ^^_JS >^g||| '''tj::$ >*$U^&' ■ _g|