184 Star anb Meatbet (Bosstp 



An hour and three minutes later brought some 

 amends in a swift but charming view of the moon and 

 planet set with great distinctness in a patch of indigo 

 sky in the west. The breadth of the full moon only 

 lay between the moon's dark limb and the planet, the 

 latter being slightly higher than our satellite's upper 

 horn. 



Rain and wind followed this fleeting vision ; but at 

 9.20 further cloud-breaks occurred. In a small one in 

 the south-east Jupiter and Gamma Virginis appeared, 

 almost side by side ; in another, eastward, Arcturus 

 blazed out ; then Procyon disclosed itself in the south- 

 west, and Castor and Pollux above it but no Mars and 

 no moon ; everything remained of funereal sombreness 

 their way. 



And thus did it remain for the rest of the wretched 

 night. The clouds were the great occulters ; the occul- 

 tation was universal, with the elemental addition of 

 wintry gusts and marrow-chilling, sputtering rain. Yet 

 they do say that the night brought exceeding joy to 

 the farmer with his thirsty fields. If that be so, then 

 we are very content. 



NATURE AT REST 



It was all very wonderful on this early Autumn day. 

 Only a few hours before a fierce gale had raged round 

 our shores, a deep twilight gloom had prevailed, 

 privation and death by sea and land had marked the 

 track of the storm, and the cliffs had resounded with 

 the thunder of the surf ; and now as I stepped from 

 the train at the little wayside station of Hart, scarce 



