XVII. 



WOOD SCENERY IN MAY. 



During the space of one year, the woods' present to 

 the eye of the spectator five different aspects, corre- 

 sponding with the infancy, the youth, the maturity, the 

 tinting, and the dropping of the foliage. The first is 

 the appearance assumed by the woods, when putting 

 out their tender plaited leaves and blossoms in May, 

 up to the time when they are fully expanded ; the 

 second when nearly all the trees have attained their 

 brightest verdure, as in June, but exhibit a nearly uni- 

 form shade ; the third in midsummer and later, when 

 their verdure is less brilliant, and when each species 

 and individual have acquired that particular shade of 

 green that respectively characterizes them ; the fourth 

 is the appearance they assume when the leaves have 

 acquired those variegated tints that precede their fall, 

 and which are erroneously attributed to the action of 

 frost ; the fifth and last is the naked appearance of the 

 winter forest, when the evergreens alone retain their ver- 

 dure. These ever changing aspects of the woods are 

 sources of continual pleasure to the observer of nature, 

 and have in all ages afforded themes for the poet, and 

 subjects for the painter. 



