It is a passage full of his peculiar view of Nature.

The place where the two lovers stay their footsteps on the hill knows all about them.

"It is silent and aware." But it is apart from them also: It has had its scenes, its joys and crimes, But that is its own affair.
And its silence also is its own.

Those who linger there think that the place longs to speak; its bosom seems to heave with all it knows; but the desire is its own, not ours transferred to it.

But when the two lovers were there, Nature, of her own accord, made up a spell for them and troubled them into speech: A moment after, and hands unseen Were hanging the night around us fast; But we knew that a bar was broken between Life and life: we were mixed at last In spite of the mortal screen.
The forests had done it; there they stood; We caught for a moment the powers at play: They had mingled us so, for once and good, Their work was done--we might go or stay, They relapsed to their ancient mood.
Not one of the poets of this century would have thought in that fashion concerning Nature.