Read the excerpt.
In such a night, when every louder wind
Is to its distant cavern safe confined;
And only gentle Zephyr fans his wings,
And lonely Philomel, still waking, sings …
If the speaker in Anne Finch’s “A Nocturnal Reverie” were taking a walk at night in modern times, would her experience with nature be the same as those reflected in these lines?
Yes, people’s lives are just as stressful, and rural areas are easy to escape to.
No, it would be difficult to find a rich rural setting untouched by modern development.
Yes, since many cities have trees.
No, today’s modern world is much more in touch with nature.