DECEMBER. 



555 



of other richer, arid more directly rewarding tribes." 

 At all events, if there be any thing worthy or exciting 

 in the perusal of any production of liuman genius, it 

 must be self-evident that there is something still more 

 worthy, more exciting, and of a purer nature too, in 

 the investigation of even the minutest emanation from 

 the wisdom and energy of the Divine mind. With 

 this 'sentiment, then, the botanist can satisfactorily 

 answer any contemner, if such there be, of his explor- 

 ing, innocent, and unambitious pursuit. 



But now for a final glance at the out-of-door aspect 

 of the features of the waning year. For one brief 

 day December glooms subside lines of white strati- 

 fied clouds are pillowed upon the horizon, and the sun 

 spreads forth his beams from a coerulean sky upon 

 leafless groves, sullen hills made rusty with the faded 

 brake, dull purple patches broken by the plough, and 

 wide green commons, whose hundred brimfull pools 

 without a weed upon the surface, gleam and sparkle 

 in the shadowy landscape, where the rays shift and 

 glance, and chase each other, as if exulting at their 

 temporary emancipation from the deep dungeon of 

 the rifted clouds. Some tracts, too, of vegetable 

 beauty appear, where the glossy ivy has encased a 

 lofty pear-tree, riven pollard willow, or 



" the moss-grown oak, 



Tenacious of its leaves of russet brown." 



Ivy indeed is the robe of honour with which time 

 loves to invest the objects that have become maimed 

 in his service, and aged trees thus covered stand out 

 in winter as "green-robed senators" glorious and 

 venerated in their decrepitude. So rapine and dese- 

 cration is hushed up and concealed by the enveloping 



