46 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



hedgebanks makes merry with the open sunshine. 

 For the moment the Brambles carry the palm of 

 beauty. The purple of their stems contrasts 

 with their still green leaves and blends with those 

 leaves which have put on their autumnal tints. On 

 the same bush there is the greenish white of late 

 buds, the pink blush of tardy blossoms, and the 

 green, red, and black colours of autumnal fruit. 

 In the bramble stems, too, there is variety; 

 for whilst their prevailing colour is purple they 

 are, in places, overspread by vermilion hues : 

 and, where this hue is spread upon the stem, the 

 adjacent foliage is dyed with the same rich colour. 

 Strongly contrasting with the vermilion leaves 

 are others of bright yellow, approaching gold, 

 and others of greenish white. Now they are 

 sombre in the hue of green, now flushed with 

 crimson, now green and purple-blotched, but 

 always beautiful. The Hawthorns, too, in the 

 same hedgebank, with stems and twigs ashen and 

 purple, are clothed with foliage of varying shades, 

 from golden to dark and shining green, all set 

 off in contrast against the brilliant red of the 

 glistening haws. Dogrose leaves are here just 



