196 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



offspring of the woods, it shrinks from the blast, 

 drops its leaf, and, in each scene where it pre- 

 dominates, leaves wide blanks of desolated boughs, 

 amidst foliage yet fresh and verdant. Before its 

 decay we sometimes see its leaf tinged with a fine 

 yellow, well contrasted with the neighbouring 

 greens. But this is one of Nature's casual beau- 

 ties. Much often er its leaf decays in a dark, 

 muddy, unpleasiog tint. And yet, notwithstand- 

 ing this early loss of its foliage, we see the 

 Ash, in a sheltered situation, when the rains have 

 been abundant and the season mild, retain its 

 green (a light pleasant green), when the Oak and 

 the Elm in its neighbourhood have put on their 

 autumnal attire.' 



There is more casual beauty ' in the Ash than 

 Gilpin appeared to think ; for though oftentimes 

 it decays in what, by comparison with its richer 

 hues, may be described as an ' unpleasing tint,' it, 

 not unfrequently, assumes a very beautiful glow 

 on the approach of the fall a glow so bright as 

 to resemble sunlight on the leaves. Sometimes 

 the autumnal hue of the Ash assumes the form of 



