Home-Thoughts, from Abroad Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #4

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower (17-19)

Don't be fooled by all the dew. The speaker promises that the natural beauty of the fields will soon be on display. He even throws in some children to sweeten this postcard-friendly image of the English countryside.

Quote #5

—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower! (20)

If someone were to show you a melon flower, you're first reaction would probably not be "How gaudy." Sure, it's a big, and it's definitely yellow, but after all, it is a flower. By and large, folks tend to be pro-flowers. The speaker's reaction to nature here, though, shows how our emotional frame of mind can influence the way we see our surroundings.