20 



STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



The only comfort among 'the brute creation is enjoyed 

 by the cattle within the barns, and the sheep within 

 their fold. 



The sun is drawing near his decline, but no beautiful 

 colors surround his setting. The sky is perfectly blue 

 over our heads, and a grayish circle binds the horizon, 

 illuminated with a kind of yellow light, save in the 

 close vicinity of the bay, where the rising vapor has 

 formed a girdle of purple haze dimly fringed with the 

 hues of the rainbow. No clouds are in the atmosphere, 

 for its intense coldness precipitates the vapor into crys- 

 tals, that fall to the earth ere it has arrived at any con- 

 siderable height. Every thing is still, save the winds 

 that whistle through the doors and crevices, and clatter 

 among the stiff and frozen branches of the trees. 



It is evening. The doors and windows are tightly 

 closed ; the hearths of the dwelling-houses are heaped 

 with fuel, and all the villagers are assembled around 

 their firesides. The windows, at this time, exhibit a 

 magnificent appearance as we pass them on the outside, 

 while the lamps are glittering from within, through their 

 myriad configurations of frost. The window panes re- 

 semble so many pictured glasses; and while the forms 

 of objects within cannot be seen, the lamps twinkle 

 through the frostwork, and cast upon the traveller a 

 beautiful and variegated light. 



