Chapter I. Outside Dorlcote Mill

Awideplain,wherethebroadeningFlosshurriesonbetweenitsgreenbankstothesea,andthelovingtide,rushingtomeetit,checksitspassagewithanimpetuousembrace.Onthismightytidetheblackships—ladenwiththefresh-scentedfir-planks,withroundedsacksofoil-bearingseed,orwiththedarkglitterofcoal—arebornealongtothetownofStOgg’s,whichshowsitsaged,flutedredroofsandthebroadgablesofitswharvesbetweenthelowwoodedhillandtheriver-brink,tingeingthewaterwithasoftpurplehueunderthetransientglanceofthisFebruarysun.Farawayoneachhandstretchtherichpastures,andthepatchesofdarkearthmadereadyfortheseedofbroad-leavedgreencrops,ortouchedalreadywiththetintofthetender-bladedautumn-sowncorn.Thereisaremnantstilloflastyear’sgoldenclustersofbeehive-ricksrisingatintervalsbeyondthehedgerowsandeverywherethehedgerowsarestuddedwithtreesthedistantshipsseemtobeliftingtheirmastsandstretchingtheirred-brownsailscloseamongthebranchesofthespreadingash.Justbythered-roofedtownthetributaryRippleflowswithalivelycurrentintotheFloss.Howlovelythel