*44 STUDIES OF NATUKE. 



others, on the contrary, you almoft always meet 

 with in a ftate of folitude. I prefume, that many 

 of thefe relations are connected with the character 

 of the birds which live on their fruits, and which 

 re-fow them. The herbage in the meadows fre- 

 quently reprefent the bearing of the trees in the 

 forefls ; there are fome which, in their foliage and 

 proportions, refemble the pine, the fir, and the 

 oak : nay, I believe that every tree has a confo- 

 nance in it's correfponding herb. It is by a magic 

 of this fort, that fmall fpots of ground prefent to 

 us the extent of a large diftric~t. If you are under 

 a grove of oaks, and perceive, on an adjoining 

 hillock, tufts of germander, the foliage of which 

 refembles them in miniature, and you will feel all 

 the effect of a perfpe&ive. Thefe diminutions of 

 proportion extend from trees even down to moffes, 

 and are the caufes, in part, of the pleafure which 

 we enjoy in wild rural fcenes, where Nature has 

 had leifure to difpofe and accomplish her plans. 

 The effect of thofe vegetable illufions is fo un- 

 doubtedly certain, that if you have the ground 

 cleared, the extent of any particular fpot, when 

 ftripped of it's natural vegetables, appears much 

 fmaller than before. 



Nature farther employs diminifhing fhades of 

 verdure, which, being lighter on the fummit of 

 trees than at their bafe, gives them the appearance 



of 



