246 TREES IN NATURE, MYTH & ART 



there Is a line of tall trees on a lofty river-bank 

 in the foreground. Some of them seem to be 

 in vigorous life, others are dead or dying. 

 Men are at work among them. Two of the 

 men are resting from the heavy labour of cut- 

 ting through the stout stem of a fallen tree with 

 a double-handed saw. Any amateur who has 

 tried his hand — or rather his arms and back at 

 this work — will sympathise with them. The 

 small branches of the tree have been tied up 

 into bunches. Farther away lies another large 

 stem, that of a tree which has been felled. A 

 man is lopping off the smaller branches from 

 another portion of it. The upper part of a 

 branch of one of the standing trees is almost 

 broken off, and, hanging down, sways in the 

 wind. The pathos of the dying, dead and 

 felled or fallen trees is echoed by an old woman 

 who is filling her apron with sticks for fire- 

 wood, the need for which is emphasised by the 

 snow-shower that is whitening the landscape. 



Two Scots pines in the Liber plate '' Inver- 

 ary Castle," make ample amends for the 

 southern gentleness of manner given to their 

 two brothers in " Crossing the Brook ". They 

 have been bent by the force of many a gale 



