came to other trees, meadows, and fields; I began to breathe a new air and
to have a fresher aspirationn. I restrained my soul till reached the sward
of the hill; psyche, the soul that longed to be loose. I would write psyche
always instead of soul to avoid meanings
which have become attached to the word soul, but it is awkward to do so.
Clumsy inddeed are all words the moment the wooden stage of commonplace life
is left. I restrained psyche, my soul, till I reached and put my foot on
the grass at the beginning of the green hill itself. Moving up the sweet
short turf, at every step my heart seemed to obtain a wider horizon of
feeling; with every inhalation of rich pure air, a deeper desire. The very
light of the sun was whiter and more brilliant here. By the time I had
reached the summit I had entirely forgotten the petty circumstances and the
annoyances of existence. I felt myself, myself. There was an intrenchment
on the summit, and going down into the fosse I walked round it slowly to
recover breath. On the south-western side there was

a spot where the outer bank had partially slipped, leaving a
gap. There the view was over a broad plain, beautiful with
wheat, and inclosed by a perfect amphitheatre of green hills.
Through these hills there was one narrow groove, or pass,
southwards, where the white clouds seemed to close in the
horizon. Woods hid the scattered hamlets and farmhouses, so
that I was quite alone.I was utterly alone with the sun and the earth.
Lying down on the grass, I spoke in my soul to the earth, the sun, the air,
and the distant sea far beyond sight. I thought of the earth's firmness--I
felt it bear me up: through the grassy couch there came an influence as if I
could feel the great earth speaking to me. I thought of the wandering
air--its pureness, which is its beauty; the air touched me and gave me
something of itself. I spoke to the sea: though so far, in my mind I saw
it, green at the rim of the earth and blue in deeper ocean;I desired to have