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pine, and renders their planting less gloomy in the prospect : but 

 deciduous trees get a settled brown, with, however, red and pleasant 

 tints, from the buds covered up in their varnished scales ; and I have 

 noticed that, in the distance, these brown woods are silvered over as 

 with the gray hue of age. It is when in this naked condition that the 

 naturalist studies to advantage the character of the various trees in 

 their mode of ramification ; and I remark that the branchlets of the 

 ash and plane are opposite, patent and knobby ; those of the elms 

 alternate, zigzag and flabellate ; of the oak irregular, kneed, and 

 spreading ; and of the willow irregular and erect, but so lithe as 

 almost to droop. The slender twigs of the birch are more decidedly 

 pendulous, and woven almost into an irregular trellis ; while those of 

 the beech are regularly alternate and patent. — These are trivial obser- 

 vations } Not so to one of my capacity and tastes : they gave inte- 

 rest to my walk, and that had its value ; and, perhaps, I may have 

 read, in this unadorned page of my Book, the lesson that there was a 

 good design, in all the unregulated variety before me, to please and 

 comfort even the sensual eye. The eye, salved with euphrasy and 

 rue, might have seen other lessons which I may not decipher to the 

 full, yet even I could see, in the far distance. Spring and Summer 

 hastening onwards to reclothe the skeletons, apparently so dead to 

 every sweet influence, with green leaves and smiling flowers ; and 

 Autumn give the promise of abundant fruits. Is there no lesson 

 in the vision ? Many : — and one suits my present humour, which I 

 give in the words to which it was set by a poet two centuries ago : — 



' I know you would not love, to please your sense 

 A tree, that bears a ragged unleaved top 

 In depth of winter, may when sumraer comes 

 Speak by his fruit he is not dead but youthful, 

 Though once he showed no sap ; my heart's a plant 

 Kept down by colder thoughts and doubtful fears. 

 Some frowns like winter storms make it seem dead, 

 But yet it is not so : make it but yours, 

 And you shall see it spring, and shoot forth leaves 

 Worthy your age, and the oppressed sap 

 Ascend to eveiy part to make it green. 

 And pay your love with fruit when harvest comes.' " 

 —P. 214. 



