XXII. 



JULY. 



THE month of temperate breezes and interminable 

 verdure, has given place to a season of parching heat 

 and sunshine, which has seared the verdant brows of 

 the hills, and driven away the vernal flowers that 

 crowned their summits. They have all fled from the 

 uplands to escape the heat and drought, and have 

 sought shelter in wet places or under the damp shade 

 of woods. Many of the rivulets that gave animation 

 to. the prospect in the spring, are now marked only by 

 a harrow channel, filled with a luxuriant growth of 

 herbs, that follow its winding course along the plain ; 

 and the shallow pools that watered the early cowslips, 

 are transformed into meads of waving herbage. Mill 

 ions of bright flowers are nodding their heads over the 

 tall grass ; but we scarcely heed them ; for they seem 

 like the haughty usurpers of the rightful dominion of 

 the meeker flowers of spring. The cattle have taken 

 shelter under the canopy of trees, to escape from the 

 hot beams of the sun, and many of them may be seen 

 standing in the pools and the margins of ponds, for re 

 freshment and protection from insects. All animated 



