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.

extras

Odds and Ends
  • The majority of works by and about Richard Jefferies are available as pdfs. Please note that not all documents have not been proof-read. 
  • Places, and plaques associated with Jefferies (jpeg images). Make sure that you can view the contents as tiles that will show the images in miniature.
  • Extensive archives are held at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham. Some of the documents, letters and images held can be accessed from the Looker and Bulpitt archives.
  • Artwork of John Luckett Jefferies -- the writer's uncle. John died from TB as a young man too but he taught his young nephew how to draw. 
  • E.H. Shepard's illustrations for Bevis.
  • Kate Tryon's oil paintings in the footsteps of Richard Jefferies circa 1911.


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