TIMES AND SEASONS. 



The forest trees in the neighbourhood of the town, 

 and the brushwood on the wide and steep ac- 

 clivity of the Chaumont, were still decked in that 

 splendid but transient livery which one frosty 

 night's keen and motionless breath, or a few 

 hours' tempest, must strew on the earth. 



"There is something strangely moving in the 

 few last short and tranquil days of autumn, as 

 they often intervene between a period of tempes- 

 tuous weather and the commencement of the 

 frosts. The face of nature is still sunny, and 

 bright and beautiful; the forest still yields its 

 shade, and the sun glistens warm and clear upon 

 the flower and stained leaf. 



"Then there is the gorgeous autumnal sunset 

 closing the short day ; and in this land of the lake 

 ind mountain it is indeed a scene of enchantment. 

 There is the rich tinge of the broad red sun steal- 

 ing over and blending the thousand hues of the 

 bill and forest, and the flood of glory upon the 

 i ky above and lake beneath, while the snows of 

 Lha Alps are glowing like molten ore. I see it 

 still, and it warms my heart's blood. 



'A few more days, and then rises the blast, 

 howling through the pine forest and over the 

 mountain-side, shaking from the tree its fair foli- 

 age, roughening the surface of the lake, and draw- 

 ing over the sky a curtain of thick vapours that 

 narrows the horizon by day, and shuts out the 

 stars by night."* 



The different divisions of the day — early morn- 

 ing, noon, evening, night — have each their peculiar 

 phase of nature, each admirable. An early riser, I 

 have always been in the habit of enjoying, with 

 keen relish, the opening of day and the awakening 

 of life. In my young days of natural history, 



* " Alpenstock," p. 162. 

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