56 STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



to emulate the capricious windings of the stream, in its 

 blue course among the hills. How pleasant when jour 

 neying, to enter a village by one of these gentle sweeps 

 that gives one several glimpses of its scenes, in differ 

 ent aspects, before our arrival. How much indeed 

 would be done for us by nature, if we did not in con 

 formity with certain notions of improvement, constantly 

 check her spontaneous efforts to cover the land with 

 beauty. 



