158 OUR WOODLAND TREES. 
the crest of the uplands, and darkness is spread 
out upon the woods away below us; but we have 
still the pure air of the forest coming to us from 
the valley we have left, laden from time to time 
with its sweet burden of fragrance draughted 
from Honeysuckle and many another wild flower ; 
we have the calm glitter of the stars, and the 
charm of that exceeding stillness which marks 
the repose of Nature, and which, for the brief 
intervals during which it lasts, is so refreshing to 
the wearied spirit. 
And now the glow-worm lights up the gorse 
with its strange, mysterious brilliance; and when 
we have stopped a moment near one of these 
singular insects to admire the beauty of the train 
of fire which it slowly draws along in its ramble 
from leaf to leaf, we continue our way. For a 
time all is silent—no sound breaking the still- 
ness, except that of our own footsteps. But 
our progress is suddenly arrested by a sound, 
which comes to us from over the woodland ‘that 
stretches away around us into the night. It 
is the sweet voice of the nightingale, bursting 
with richest store of harmony. Who that has 
