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.

27 August 2026

Memorial Direction Indicator at Coate Water

 

 

This Memorial Direction Indicator, set in a large block of Swindon Stone, can be visited on the top of the artificial mound near to the main entrance of Coate Water Country Park, from which there are commanding views over Coate Water and the Downs. It is dedicated to a former Chair of the Richard Jefferies Society, Frances Gay

 The lines that radiate from this hillock, help to unite the visitor with an impressive number of those places that are preserved for us by Richard Jefferies, born and raised nearby, and illustrated by the short extracts from his writing.

The four reliefs portray Old Holyrood Church, Swindon; Wayland's Smithy on the Ridgeway; Uffington White Horse; and Barbury Castle. Nineteen places of interest, within a radius often miles (16km), are mentioned. Nearly all of which have associations with Richard Jefferies, through his life and writings. South Marston has been included as the birthplace of another distinguished nature-lover, the poet, translator and author—Alfred Williams, who is celebrated with Jefferies in the Memorials on Burderop Down and Liddington Castle.

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