Question

After earning a few dollars working on my brother-in law's farm near Portage [Wisconsin], I set off on the first of my long lonely excursions, botanising in glorious freedom around the Great Lakes and wandering through innumerable tamarac and arbor-vitae swamps, and forests of maple, basswood, ash, elm, balsam, fir, pine, spruce, hemlock, rejoicing in their bound wealth and strength and beauty, climbing the trees, revelling in their flowers and fruit like bees in beds of goldenrods, glorying in the fresh cool beauty and charm of the bog and meadow heathworts, grasses, carices, ferns, mosses, liverworts displayed in boundless profusion. Choose two of the following phrases Muir uses in his writing about the Calypso Borealis. In two to three sentences, explain how these words reveal his attitude toward nature.

Answer 1

Here are some important parts that display his attitude. Personally I think
"Botanising in glorious freedom around the Great Lakes"
and
"forests of maple, basswood, ash, elm, balsam, fir, pine, spruce, hemlock, rejoicing in their bound wealth and strength"
display how he feels pretty well.

I think he really appreciates nature and finds it beautiful.

Answer 2

Two of the phrases that reveal Muir's attitude toward nature are:

• "I set off on the first of my long lonely excursions, botanising in glorious freedom around the Great Lakes."

• "rejoicing in their bound wealth and strength and beauty, climbing the trees, revelling in their flowers and fruit like bees in beds of goldenrods, glorying in the fresh cool beauty and charm of the bog and meadow heathworts, grasses, carices, ferns, mosses, liverworts displayed in boundless profusion."

In these lines, we see that Muir describes his experience in very positive terms. He tells us that the excursion was glorious, full of wealth, strength and beauty. He also tells us that the bog and meadow heathworts were charming and beautiful. From these lines, we can tell that the author greatly enjoys nature.