A WINTER SCENE. 17 



assumes the appearance of a solid icy pyramid. In tlie 

 freshening breeze the tall trees swing heavily to and fro, 

 while the feebler ones are bowed and bent, like corn 

 beneath the fury of the tempest. At length the forest 

 can no longer support its load, and tree after tree gives 

 way, crashing to the ground with dreadful violence, and 

 with a roar that sounds in the distance like a peal of 

 artillery. 



But on a calm day, when the sun shines in a cloudless 

 heaven, nothing is more beautiful or brilliant than the 

 aspect of the forest, which seems loaded with the most 

 dazzling gems, and reflects the sunbeams in a myriad of 

 prismatic colours. 



As we have said, the character of the North American 

 forest is wholly unlike that of the Tropical wilderness of 

 trees and parasites, arborescent ferns, and epiphytous plants. 

 They are less luxuriant, but more majestic. In the virgin 

 forest we see the prodigality of Nature ; in the American 

 woods its dignity :— 



" The murmuring pines and the hemlocks, 

 Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in tlie twilight, 

 Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,— 

 Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms. 



We cannot do better than quote the graphic description of 

 the ancient American forest which occurs in Viscount 

 Milton and Dr. Cheadle's " North- West Passage by Land." 

 As they justly observe, no one who has not seen a primeval 

 forest, where trees of gigantic size have gi'own and fallen 

 undisturbed for ages, can form any idea of the collection 

 of timber, or the impenetrable character of such a region. 



(710) 2 



