340 VOICES FROM THE WOODLANDS. 



Still there is hope for the forests of Rothiemurchies and 

 Glenmore. The latter is even now replenishing itself. 

 Young saplings have sprung up, thick as seedlings on a 

 hot-bed, and in the same relative degree of thickness 

 do they grow together, till thinned out. You might 

 almost fancy that a kind of competition took place between 

 the saplings, creating rivalry, and accelerating their pro- 

 gress to perfection; while the nearness of their growth, 

 and the want of light and air, prevents the formation of 

 lateral branches, or, if formed, speedily destroys them. 



Thus, therefore, is there hope that forest-trees may 

 reclothe those deserted tracts, and that the music of wild 

 winds may again be heard among their branches : for 



" Mighty winds, 



That sweep the skirt of some far- spreading wood 

 Of ancient growth, make music not unlike 

 The dash of ocean on his winding shore, 

 And lull the spirit while they till the mind." 



