150 LEAVES FROM THE BOOK OF NATURE. 



"Where summer smiles -with verdure crown'd, 

 Where winter flings his storms, the pine is found; 

 With heaven aspiring head it grows 

 'Mid burning sun and everlasting snows." 



On the highlands of Mexico, and the mountains of Java, 

 the traveller from the cold north meets with surprise the 

 chestnut and the noble oak of his own distant home. It 

 is one of the most interesting enjoyments offered to the 

 layman as well as to the botanist, thus to pass from zone 

 to zone in the course of a few hours or days at most. 

 Rising, for instance, from the blue waters of the Medi- 

 terranean, his eye dwells at first with wondering delight 

 on perfumed orange gardens and dusky olive-trees, " fair 

 and of goodly fruit ;" he passes through thickets of fragrant 

 myrtle, laurel, and evergreen oaks, above which tower the 

 stone-pines of the south, and here and there an isolated 

 date-palm, lifting up its gently-waving crown. A few steps 

 further, and the aspect changes ; he has left the evergreens 

 of the warmer climate behind him, and stepping out of 

 the glowing, fiery sunshine, he delights in the cool, re- 

 freshing gloom of the wide branches of lofty chestnuts and 

 proud oaks, the very kings of the forest. Revived by 

 their luxuriant foliage, "at dewy eve distilling odors," he 

 gazes upwards, where their branches interlace and form 

 grand cathedral aisles, and bows down in awe and rever- 

 ence in this fit temple of the Most High. As he ascends 

 he meets yet with the maple, spreading out its broad 

 dome of dark green leaves in masses so thick, that be- 

 neath it he fears not the passing shower, and the beech, 

 which shows its dappled bark and bright green foliage. 



