62 JUNE. 



long. For myself, I would be quite content with 

 two Flies, — the Alder, and my favourite Coach- 

 man in the evening — the evening after all for 

 my success. 



But now I see the damps are rising; the 

 rook doth homeward wing his weary flight ; the 

 anxious mother beckons to her child, who quits 

 the rural game for rest ; the cattle low, and seek 

 their weather-beaten shed ; the feathered tribes 

 forsake the silvery lake, and march in mimic 

 order towards the barn ; the watch dog barks 

 at every distant sound, and twinkling lights 

 come dancing through the shadowed leaves, — the 

 water bears reflection of the coming night, and 

 now the laughing star of evening is up, as if 

 sprung suddenly to existence : all warn me of the 

 many fields and long dark lanes that I have yet 

 to tread ere I reach home. My companions have 

 no doubt retired from the stream. There is no 

 appearance of a human being, except yon lazy 

 shepherd, whistling, and leaning o'er the gate, 

 and gazing on — he knows not what, — so Fll 



