The Story of My Heart, 1883

CHAPTER I: THE STORY OF MY HEART [published Oct. 1883] commences seventeen years ago. In the glow of youth there were times every now and then when I felt the necessity of a strong inspiration of soul thought. My heart was dusty, parched for want of the rain of deep feeling; my mind arid and dry, for there is a dust which settles on the heart as well as that which falls on a ledge. ... When this began to form I felt eager to escape from it, to throw off the heavy clothing, to drink deeply once more at the fresh fountains of life. An inspiration―a long deep breath of the pure air of thought―could alone give health to the heart. There is a hill [Liddington] to which I used to resort at such periods. The labour of walking three miles to it, all the while gradually ascending, seemed to clear my blood of the heaviness accumulated at home. On a warm summer day the slow continued rise required continual effort, which carried away the sense of oppression.... I began to breathe a new air and to have a fresher aspiration. ... 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.

05 August 2017

Tour of Broadwater Cemetery - August 2017

Michael Parrott reported that there were 86 members of the public at the 5 August tour at Broadwater Cemetery, Worthing. The only vandals are the grass-cutting contractors who have taken out a couple of chips of marble from the kerb stone of Jefferies’ grave and also have damaged memorial trees with strimmers. The Friends of Broadwater Cemetery have lodged a complaint and this is being taken seriously by the council. They should too - the Jefferies’ grave is a Grade II listed building. The memorial garden wild flowers are going over now; there are still geraniums and mallows low down in the grass. The memorial mulberry tree leaves are a bit spotty and most of the fruit was battered down by recent heavy rain. The photographs are supplied by Mr Parrott. 

Richard Jefferies' grave tended by Michael Parrott

Jefferies-Hudson Memorial Garden with bench supplied by the Richard Jefferies Society 


Entrance to Broadwater Cemetery