DECEMBER. 331 



thick briars, shunning the tempestuous blast, and 

 changing their loud notes to chirping ; the cataracts 

 roared, and every linden-tree whistled and brayed 

 to the sounding of the wind. The poor labourer?, 

 wet and weary, draggled in the fen. The sheep 

 and shepherds lurked under the hanging banks, or 

 wild broom. Warm from the chimney-side, and 

 refreshed with generous cheer, I stole to my bed 

 and lay down to sleep, when I saw the moon shed 

 through the window her twinkling glances, and 

 wintry light;! heard the horned bird, the night- 

 owl , shrieking horribly with crooked bill from her 

 cavern; I heard the wild geese with screaming 

 cries fly over the city through the silent night. I 

 was soon lulled to sleep, till the cock, clapping his 

 wings, crowed thrice, and the day peeped. I 

 waked and saw the moon disappear, and heard 

 the jackdaws cackle on the roof of the house. The 

 cranes, prognosticating tempests, in a firm phalanx, 

 pierced the air with voices sounding like a trumpet. 

 The kite, perched on an old tree, fast by my 

 chamber, cried lamentably, a sign of the dawn- 

 ing day. I rose, and half opening my window, per- 

 ceived the morning, livid, wan, and hoary ; the air 

 overwhelmed with vapour and cloud; the ground 

 stiff, gray, and rough; the branches rattling; the 

 sides of the hill looking black and hard with driving 

 blasts ; the dew-drops congealed on the stubble and 

 rind of trees ; the sharp hailstones, deadly cold, hop- 

 ping on the thatch and the neighbouring cause- 

 way." 



