188 PASQUE-FLOWER. 



own deep beauty ; the shadows of drooping 

 branches, beech or hazel, played upon the 

 stream that flowed beneath them ; and in 

 the distance, " the green pastoral farm came 

 out into the light," and such sounds as 

 awaken thoughts of rural Hfe were borne 

 upon the breeze. I have often stood there, 

 in all the loveliness of a fine spring morn- 

 ing, when dew was on the grass, and the 

 sky-lark up in air, and the bleating of sheep 

 was heard upon the common. In autumn, 

 too, it was my favourite resort ; for then, far 

 as the eye could reach, swept the resound- 

 ing woodlands, with the solemn sound of 

 waving branches and contending winds, and 

 the richness of their glowing tints. Tlien, 

 too, the air was filled with thistle-down, 

 and the floating seeds of the dandelion and 

 the pui-ple goat's-beard ; and on the dancing 

 waves of the bright stream floated the seeds 

 of difierent water plants, and such as fell 



