214 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



turquoise green of the grass rides, where the 

 light falls direct on them, and the glistening of 

 the stone heaps and sandy paths. 



To the left of us the hill of Leith, looming 

 out high from the vale below ; on the right, 

 Ewhurst and the extensive range beyond, run- 

 ning down towards the west. It is a vast 

 picture in monochrome, lit up by silvery lights ; 

 not a fern owl churrs, not a beetle goes droning 

 by, for the clouds are getting higher, and they 

 are heavily charged with rain. But with the 

 exception of a slight shower, just enough to 

 bead the cover, and cause the bramble leaves 

 to glitter, the clouds pass over, and the moon 

 is, as the children sing, as bright as day. Let 

 us stand quite still to let the scent of the cool 

 earth reach us, and the odour from the firs, 

 heather, grass, and ferns, with much more that 

 is hidden from sight. Life is in the air by 

 night as well as by day, the life of the hills 

 and the woods, the life of a summer's night 

 that has no real darkness, showing some of 

 Nature's workings so plainly, that those " who 

 run may read." 



Moonlight on the sands, and floating mists 

 that wander about high up, veiling the moon's 

 brightness for a time, as if huge curtains of 



