VOICES PROM THE WOODLANDS. 



valley, thickly timbered, with breaks of lawn and thicket. 

 A space extends on either side, covered with short herbage, 

 and right and left are forest-trees, the oak, the ash, and 

 elm, with here and there beautiful specimens of birch; 

 but whoever passes, looks solely at my pyramid of foliage. 

 Many who come this way, when the sun is setting over 

 yonder hill, linger with delight to observe the broad masses 

 of light and shade that are thrown over half the landscape, 

 by the noble mass of foliage, which, although with nought 

 of airiness and lightness, preserves its own calm dignity, 

 and is peculiar to our race. Methinks few objects within 

 the limited range of British forest-trees are more beautiful 

 to behold ; and who among our sylvan brethren may com- 

 pete with us in the pyramidal form of our foliage and 

 our flowers ? The chestnut, when growing unharmed, and 

 permitted to rise into the dignity of his natural growth, 

 forms a perfect pyramid ; the flowers, too, present 

 mimic pyramids of delicately white, pink-tinted blossoms, 

 among which the goldfinch and the linnet, the blackcap 



