182 WILD FLOWERS. 



than in flowers, and the wild nosegay gathered 

 now is, indeed, a small one. Yet the pastoral 

 landscape has not lost its charms, for its grass 

 is still bright and fresh. It is not the decrease 

 of flowers alone, however, which warns of 

 autumn. The trees are now yellow, red, or of 

 a withered brown, with his touches. Some, 

 like the ash, and the great white poplar, are 

 daily dropping so many showers of leaves, that 

 we are anticipating that their naked branches 

 will soon stand boldly out on the landscape. 

 The swallows are congregating for their de- 

 parture to other and warmer lands ; and the 

 loud twittering which they make on the great 

 oak, or elm, has, to the naturalist, a sound pecu- 

 liarW autumnal. All at once we miss the sound, 

 and they are gone ; and we are reminded of 

 the allusion made by the prophet Jeremiah to 

 the migration of birds, and the melancholy 

 comparison which he draws between tlie wild 

 bird and the instructed man. " Yea," says the 

 prophet, " the stork in the heaven knoweth her 

 appointed times; and the crane and the swallow 

 observe the time of their coming ; but my people 

 know not the judgment of the Lord." * Alas ! 

 it is not alone to ancient Israel that the reproof 

 belongs. The voice of nature, and the voice 

 of Providence, and the voice of God's word, are 

 still unheard by uutliinking man ! 



The cultivated fi-uits of earth are now chiefly 

 gathered in. The corn is brought into the 

 garner, the fragrant hops are lying in the store- 



* Jer. viii' 7. 



