78 MARCH. 



in copses, to hear the tinkling gears of the horses, 

 and the clear voices of the lads calling to them. It 

 is not less pleasant to catch the busy caw of the 

 rookery, and the first meek cry of the young lambs. 

 The hares are hopping about the fields, the excite- 

 ment of the season overcoming their habitual timi- 

 dity. The bees are revelling in the yellow catkins 

 of the sallow. The harmless English snake is seen 

 again curling up like a little coil of rope, with its 

 head in the centre, on sunny green banks. The 

 woods, though yet unadorned with their leafy garni- 

 ture, are beautiful to look on ; they seem flushed 

 with life. Their boughs are of a clear and glossy 

 lead colour, and the tree-tops are rich with the 

 vigorous hues of brown, red, and purple ; and, if 

 you plunge into their solitudes, there are symptoms 

 of revivification under your feet the springing mer- 

 cury and green blades of the blue-bells and per- 

 haps above you the early nest of the missel-thrush, 

 perched between the boughs of a young oak, to 

 tinge your thoughts with the anticipation of summer. 

 These are mornings not to be neglected by the lover 

 of Nature, and if not neglected, then not forgotten ; 

 for they will stir the springs of memory, and make 

 us live over again, times and seasons that we 

 cannot, for the pleasure and purity of our spirits, 

 live over too much. 



In March the shells of snails, which have perished 

 during the winter, will be seen in great numbers, 

 thrown out upon the banks by the crumbling down 

 of the mould, rendered light by win'er-frosts, and 



