nd； with a glance at the traction… engine just ing along the road； indicate the direction of his thoughts。
XV
Nothing in all Homer pleases me more than the bedstead of Odysseus。 I have tried to turn the passage describing it into English verse； thus：…
Here in my garth a goodly olive grew； Thick was the noble leafage of its prime； And like a carven column rose the trunk。 This tree about I built my chamber walls； Laying great stone on stone； and roofed them well； And in the portal set a ely door； Stout…hinged and tightly closing。 Then with axe I lopped the leafy olive's branching head； And hewed the bole to four…square shapeliness； And smoothed it； craftsmanlike； and grooved and pierced； Making the rooted timber； where it grew； A corner of my couch。 Labouring on； I fashioned all the bed…frame； which plete； The wood I overlaid with shining gear Of gold； of silver； and of ivory。 And last； between the endlong beams I stretched Stout thongs of ox…hide； dipped in purple dye。
Odyssey； xxiii。 190…201。
Did anyone ever imitate the admirable precedent？ Were I a young man； and an owner of land； assuredly I would do so。 Choose some goodly tree； straight…soaring； cut away head and branches； leave just the clean trunk and build your house about it in such manner that the top of the rooted timber rises a couple of feet above your bedroom floor。 The trunk need not be manifest in the lower part of the house； but I should prefer to have it so； I am a tree… worshipper； it should be as the visible presence of a household god。 And how could one more nobly symbolize the sacredness of Home？ There can be no home without the sense of permanence； and without home there is no civilization……as England will discover when the greater part of her population have bee f