PROSE WITH SERAPHS' WINGS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 93, 19 November 1879, Page 2

PROSE WITH SERAPHS' WINGS.

■ Blue hooks, inspectors' reports, fit hoc qenns omne, are not exactly the kind of light literature one would select for. pastime nud yefc the following specimen, clipped from Mi*. W. H. .Pearson's report upon the system of selection of land on deferred payment, i* worthy of beinz rescued from oblivion.' The inspired gentleman writes '• " In 18/ H. T stood on a hill m the centre of the Toi Tois Run fired, and as far as tho eve cmild reach the noonday snn rlisolosprl pJirHi'd b'wnm eov.er.ort w.ith its prinie*'nl ourpi't. The tussock bent its yellow hair to the breeze. The graceful head of the eabhaae tree quiverod m its embrnce. The brilliant green of the flax nnd tutu bflshe* siowiyi m \yith the dnvk'er tints of t.i« luxur'-int fern, an^l the spirit of solitudf hroo'le'l over tl>o lnnri^cnne, thepHrple sVulrnvs of rlcfonriin'T niaht werp unbroken by a single sfintill ifrion of n, li<rht from a eolt.atro. o\; viuVlv e^>w of nptters' five, and under the gfinfclr falllnsf of tlie-mis-tre's of t''e ni«tht. er\rth Pluinbere'i w ; H> fcb« i pprfoct ret. of uttpr solitu'le. In 1879 I otand on tbn san>e hill, and see streteWl boforc me the- unduliitinc plains ctTerc'l with the Btvonw Hre>i*-.h of tho man's 'a'^-our — t.he snirif; of rmn'^ liff. The (nmhenms Hanne over well filled fipl'ts, ripf with cultirafe'l fibundan^. ' T'»e snft nnt.nmn bree^''. «»<rKm<f t.iuvni^'i the golilmt pfFoph of the riving summer, waftonlona the qrlrtdsoini? l.iti!»hler of sunny chilrlhnorl ; Inme' t!>e russet t^'eek of the matron w^*»h'n T nfc her. cnti'a'jrp rloor thp gambols of l^er children, cools the Vnw of honest hibor, nn, resting for a moment, the farmer* Rurrpys the Viv-ijr^t ]iin'l«"npe, nnd proudly rei linos that tho Treat crift of " Tie Master" —"tlif earth hti'l t 7 >c nHnndnnoetherflof — i« 'being t'irned to its lev'itimntft ii«e — tliß blop'sinff. of the manr. wliile the grey sm^ke wreathes itself nloft from many a smiling homestead." We da, not know what effect tho foregoing would have upon the head of. the deohrt.ment'for which the 'report was fnr.nishert, but its perusal would cci f ainlv make the mouth of a ppnny" a-liner water. As a work of use the report ninv not bare been valuable., but as a sample of high f.iluting word-p.AJiittng ifc j$ certainly entitled to score a point. Somebody-- h-is said that " Poetry is pr.nse with seraphs' win^s." and there is an "ether? )1 ring about Mr. Benson's reports which must sadly pucsle the Parliamentary pundits for whom they ar;e provided. Maoqupw* 1 ,