NOVEMBER. 289 



Descending, and with never-ceasing lapse, 

 Softly alighting upon all below, 

 Assimilate all objects. Earth receives 

 Gladly the thickening mantle, and the green 

 And tender blade, that feared the chilling blast, 

 Escapes unhurt beneath so warm a veil. 



Cowper. 



The return of winter is pleasurable even in 

 its severity. The first snows that come dancing 

 down ; the first frost that rimes the hedges, 

 variegates the windows, or shoots its fine, long 

 crystals across the smallest puddle, or the widest 

 sheet of water, bring with them the remem- 

 brance of our boyish pleasures, our slidings and 

 skatings — our snow-ballings and snow-rolling — 

 our snow-man making — the wonders of hoar- 

 frosts — of nightly snow-drifts in hollow lanes — 

 of caves and houses, scooped in the wintry 

 heaps with much labour and delight : and of 

 scampering over hedge and ditch on the frozen 

 snow, that " crunched beneath the tread," but 

 broke not. 



The dark, wet, and wintry days, and the long 

 dismal nights of this season, are, however, fa- 

 vourable to fireside enjoyments and occupations. 

 Driven from the fields and woods, where we 

 have found so much delight, so many objects of 

 interest, or employment, we may now sit within 

 and hear the storm rage around, conscious that 



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