538 WILD FLOWEBS OF 



correct ; for if the umbrageous multitude of leaves 

 that lately decorated the forest have fallen to the 

 ground, yet there are a host of " little plants that 

 lowly dwell," * that far from being dead, take advan- 

 tage of the prevailing humidity to put forth their 

 frondage and fruit, and assume a visible importance 

 they made no pretensions to before among these, 

 shining with brilliant viridescence as signs of approach- 

 ing Christmas, the beautiful tribe of MOSSES appear, 

 called in botanical language Musci frondosi. 



Even in summer, the wanderer who has penetrated 

 into the deep recesses of the woods, seeking shelter 

 from the burning refulgence of noon, has oft blessed 

 that mossy carpet softer than velvet yielding to his 

 tread, which has cooled and refreshed his tired feet. 

 The mountain rambler, wearied with the toil of esca- 

 lading slippery barren rocks, parched and burning 

 with reflected heat, turns from his path along the dry 

 ravine to where the plashy springlet oozing from its 

 mossy bed, diffuses around its green cradle delicious 

 coolness, and invites to mental and bodily tranquility 

 within its sequestered recess. Then even the unin- 

 quisitive poet looks out for his " mossy cell," and, 

 though shrinking from botanical initiation, still ex- 

 claims with SHEFSTONE 



" Beside some fountain's mossy brink, 



With me the muse shall sit and think." 

 But he should be dragged to the "moss-fringed 

 stone" in winter, to behold this fairy tribe in all their 

 delicacy and beauty, and SPEJSTSEK, indeed, has not 

 altogether forgotten the picturesque aspect they put 

 on at this season, when he thus apostrophizes in his 

 characteristic Shepherd's Calendar: 



* SPENSER. 



