He is capable of producing them himself,
and there seems also always to be a Frisian poet who has said the
right thing. Thus (of Leeuwarden): "It is surrounded by splendid
fertile meadows, to all of which, though especially to those lying
near the roads to Marssum and Stiens, may be applied the words of
the Frisian poet Dr. E. Halbertsma:--
'Sjen nou dat lan, hwer jy op geane,
Dat ophelle is ut gulle se;
Hwer binne brusender lansdouwen,
Oerspriede mei sok hearlik fe?'
('Behold the soil you are walking on,
The soil, snatched from the waves;
Where are more luxurious meadows,
Where do you find such cattle?')
The farmer, living in the midst of this fine natural scenery, is to
be envied indeed: if the struggle for life does not weigh too heavily
upon him, his must be a life happier than that of thousands of other
people. Living and working with his own family and servants attached
to him, he made the right choice when he chose to breed his cattle
and improve his grounds to the best of his power. The parlour-windows
look out on the fields: the gay sight they grant has its effect on the
mood of those inside. The peasant sees and feels the beauty of life,
and it makes him thankful, and gives him courage to struggle and to
work on, where necessity requires it.
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