But I must wander many a mile ere I could stand beneath the shadow of even one primeval tree , much less be lost among the multitude of hoary trunks and hidden from the earth and sky by the mystery of darksome foliage . Nothing is within my daily reach more like a forest than the acre or two of woodland near some suburban farmhouse . When , therefore , the yearning for seclusion becomes a necessity within me , I am drawn to the seashore which extends its line of rude rocks and seldom-trodden sands for leagues around our bay . Setting forth at my last ramble on a September morning , I bound myself with a hermit 's vow to interchange no thoughts with man or woman , to share no social pleasure , but to derive all that day 's enjoyment from shore and sea and sky , from my soul 's communion with these , and from fantasies and recollections or anticipated realities . Surely here is enough to feed a human spirit for a single day . -- Farewell , then , busy world ! Till your evening lights shall shine along the street -- till they gleam upon my sea-flushed face as I tread homeward -- free me from your ties and let me be a peaceful outlaw . Highways and cross-paths are hastily traversed , and , clambering down a crag , I find myself at the extremity of a long beach . How gladly does the spirit leap forth and suddenly enlarge its sense of being to the full extent of the broad blue , sunny deep ! A greeting and a homage to the sea ! I descend over its margin and dip my hand into the wave that meets me , and bathe my brow . That far-resounding roar is Ocean 's voice of welcome . His salt breath brings a blessing along with it . Now let us pace together -- the reader 's fancy arm in arm with mine -- this noble beach , which extends a mile or more from that craggy promontory to yonder rampart of broken rocks . In front , the sea ; in the rear , a precipitous bank the grassy verge of which is breaking away year after year , and flings down its tufts of verdure upon the barrenness below . The beach itself is a broad space of sand , brown and sparkling , with hardly any pebbles intermixed . Near the water 's edge there is a wet margin which glistens brightly in the sunshine and reflects objects like a mirror , and as we tread along the glistening border a dry spot flashes around each footstep , but grows moist again as we lift our feet . In some spots the sand receives a complete impression of the sole , square toe and all ; elsewhere it is of such marble firmness that we must stamp heavily to leave a print even of the iron-shod heel . Along the whole of this extensive beach gambols the surf-wave . Now it makes a feint of dashing onward in a fury , yet dies away with a meek murmur and does but kiss the strand ; now , after many such abortive efforts , it rears itself up in an unbroken line , heightening as it advances , without a speck of foam on its green crest .
With how fierce a roar it XXXXX itself forward and rushes far up the beach !
Ocean barrenness crag daily day evening flings morning surf-wave year