FEBRUARY. 



41 



frequently so much elevated by the expansion 

 of the moisture beneath, as to obstruct the 

 opening and shutting of doors and gates, and 

 your gravel-walks resemble saturated sponges. 

 Abroad the streets are flooded with muddy 

 water, and slippery with patches of half-thaw- 

 ed ice and snow, which strike through your 

 shoes in a moment. The houses, and all ob- 

 jects whatever, have a dirty and disconsolate 

 aspect; and clouds of dim and smoky haze 

 hover over the whole dispiriting scene. In the 

 country the prospect is not much better : the 

 roads are full of mire. Instead of the enchant- 

 ments of hoar-frost, you have naked hedges, sal- 

 low and decaying weeds beneath them, brown 

 and wet pastures, and sheets of ice, but re- 

 cently affording so much fine exercise to skait- 

 ers and sliders, half submersed in water, full 

 of great cracks, scattered with straws and dirty 

 patches, and stones half liberated by the thaw : 

 such are the miserable features of the time. 



Let us felicitate ourselves that such joyless 

 period is seldom of long duration. The winds 

 of March speedily come piping their jovial 

 strains, clearing the face of the blessed hea- 

 vens from their sullen veil of clouds, and 



