VI PEEFACE. 



come of a minute and careful study of the subject 

 pursued during many years. 



It is a singular circumstance that, with all the 

 resources which art possesses in the present day, 

 and in view, especially, of the wealth of illustra- 

 tion that has been brought into requisition in the 

 endeavour to reproduce ' the flowers of the field,' 

 no one should have attempted to reproduce the 

 8 blossoms of Autumn } as represented by autumnal 

 leaves. The neglect, in a literary and pictorial 

 sense, of this most fascinating branch of natural 

 science is doubtless only accidental, and it does 

 not arise from any lack of appreciation of the 

 subject. But the fact remains that, rich as this 

 subject is in itself, and full as it is of attraction 

 for the lovers of Nature, it has, by pictorial art, in 

 the especial phase in which it is here represented, 

 been wholly overlooked. 



Merely general references such as may be 

 found abundantly both in poetry and prose to 

 the glory and beauty of Autumn, 



' Thrice happy time, 



Best portion of the various year, in which 

 Nature rejoiceth, smiling on her works, 

 Lovely to full perfection wrought,' 



till leave unsatisfied the desire to know some- 



