226 NATURAL APPEARANCES 



hedges ; and young leaves appear on the gooseberry 

 and currant bushes. The farmer, as soon as the 

 ground is sufficiently thawed, ploughs his fallows, 

 sows beans and pease, and rye and spring wheat. 



*' Joyous th' impatient husbandman perceives 

 Relenting nature, and his lusty steers 

 Diives from their stalls, to where the well-us'd plough 

 Lies in the furrow, loosen'd from the frost ; 

 There, unrefusing, to the hajness'd yoke 

 They lend their shoulder, and begin their toil, 

 Cheer 'd by the simple song and soaring lark. 

 Meanwhile, incumbent o'er the shining share, 

 The master leans, removes the obstructing clay, 

 Winds the whole work, and sidelong lays the glebe. 

 While through the neighbouring field the sower stalks. 

 With measur'd step, and lib'ral throws the grain 

 Into the fruitful bosom of the ground." 



The husbandman, also, at this season, sets his early 

 potatoes, drains his wet land, dresses and repairs his 

 hedges, lops his trees, and plants those kinds which 

 love a wet soil, as poplars and willows ; and, with 



" Fancy fir'd, anticipates their growth." 



Winter in the Polar Regions. 



Nor are the symptoms of returning spring con- 

 fined to the inhabitants of our temperate climate ; they 

 also begin, towards the middle of this month, to be 

 sensibly felt by those of the icy regions of the north. 



