Our Rural Divinity by John Burroughs
The work explores the relationship between nature and spirituality, arguing that rural landscapes can be a source of spiritual renewal and connection to the divine. It critiques urbanization and industrialization for their effects on human relationships with the natural world. The text also discusses the importance of solitude and quiet contemplation in fostering a deeper understanding of oneself and one's place within the universe.
By John Burroughs · First published 1867 · Genre: Non-fiction, Nature Writing, Essay · 7,358 words
First lines
I wonder that Wilson Flagg did not include the cow among his "Picturesque Animals," for that is where she belongs. She has not the classic beauty of the horse, but in picture-making qualities she is far ahead of him. Her shaggy, loose-jointed body; her irregular, sketchy outlines, like those of the landscape, -- the hollows and ridges, the slopes and prominences; her tossing horns, her bushy tail, tier swinging gait, her tranquil, ruminating habits, -- all tend to make her an object upon which the artist eye loves to dwell. The artists are forever putting her into pictures, too. In rural landscape scenes she is an important feature. Behold her grazing in the pastures and on the hillsides, or along banks of streams, or ruminating under wide-spreading trees, or standing belly-deep in the creek or pond, or lying upon the smooth places in the quiet summer afternoon, the day's grazing done, and waiting to be summoned home to be milked; and again in the twilight lying upon the level summit of the hill, or where the sward is thickest and softest; or in winter a herd of them filing along toward the spring to drink, or being "foddered" from the stack in the field upon the new snow, -- surely the cow is a picturesque animal, and all her goings and comings are pleasant to behold.
What this Textopian page supports
Our Rural Divinity is listed on Textopian as an essay by John Burroughs, dated 1867 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: John Burroughs
- Date: 1867 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Non-fiction, Nature Writing, Essay, Pastoral Literature, Memoir
- Length: 7,358 words
- Structure: 1 section, 51 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Our Rural Divinity by John Burroughs
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Our Rural Divinity?
- How does this essay by John Burroughs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Non-fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Fresh Fields by John Burroughs
- Time And Change by John Burroughs
- Stanzas Written At Walden by Henry David Thoreau
- Before Genius by John Burroughs
- The Breath Of Life by John Burroughs
Genres
- Non-fiction — The work presents observations and reflections on rural life and the significance of domestic animals, particularly cows, in a factual manner.
- Nature Writing — The text explores the relationship between humans and nature, focusing on the characteristics and behaviors of cows within rural landscapes.
- Essay — The format and style resemble an essay, presenting personal insights and philosophical musings on the subject matter.
- Pastoral Literature — The themes reflect pastoral ideals, celebrating rural life and the simplicity of nature.
Tags
Nature Writing · American Literature · Philosophy · Spirituality · Rural Life · Divinity · Existentialism · Meditation · Self-Discovery · Personal Growth · Observational Style · Descriptive Writing