Frost Foliage. 19 



Even the finger-marks of man have not been 

 erased. Likewise, too, every babbling brook 

 and rippling creek is silent in his presence. 



Given the water turned to rock, the ground 

 covered with snow and moonlight, these to- 

 gether, and we have that " all silence and all 

 glisten" that Lowell used as a background to a 

 charming in- door scene ; but what of this back- 

 ground itself, and more particularly when there 

 is sound instead of silence, and sunlight instead 

 of pallid moonshine ? The air to-day was full 

 of frozen mist, invisible needle-points, that 

 pricked the skin and played painful pranks 

 with the ears of pedestrians ; but, putting aside 

 such minor inconveniences as this, can we put 

 on a real winter change and be as much one 

 with Nature now as in summer? It is a ques- 

 tion I have often asked, and if the columns of 

 answers were added up, I fear the result would 

 show that one pedestrian at least is a tropical 

 animal. There is a greater effort needed now 

 to meet Nature's requirements. More clothing, 

 more food, and artificial heat, if we halt upon 

 our journey ; but are we not repaid ? Can the 

 result be looked upon with doubt when we sum 



