( 2 73 ) 



The boles of trees likewife, and all their 

 larger limbs, add, at this feafon, a rich variety, 

 and contrail to the foreft ; the fmooth and the 

 rough, the light and the dark, often beauti- 

 fully oppofmg each other. In winter, \hzjlem 

 predominates, as the leaf in fummer. It is 

 amufing in one feafon to fee the branches 

 lofmg, and difcovering themfelves among 

 the foliage; and it is amufing alfo, in the 

 other, to walk through the defolate foreft, 

 and fee the various combinations of ftem 

 the traverfing of branches acrofs each other, 

 in fo many beautiful directions and the pains, 

 which nature takes in forming a wood, as well 

 as a fingle tree*. She leaves no part unclofed ; 

 but pufhing in the branch, or the fpray, as 

 the opening allows, {he fills all vacant fpace; 

 and brings the heads of the trees, which grow 

 near each other, into contact; while every 

 ftep we take, prefents us with fome beau- 

 tiful variety in her mode of forming the fretted 

 roof, under which we walk. 



In winter too the effect of ever-greens is 

 often pleafmg. Holly, when it happens to 



* See page 106. 



VOL. i. T be 



