V WOODS AND FIELDS I75 



Tropical fruits are even more striking. No 

 one who has seen it can ever forget a grove of 

 orange trees in full fruit ; while the more we 

 examine the more we find to admire ; all per- 

 fectly and exquisitely finished "usque ad 

 ungues," perfect inside and outside, for 

 Nature 



Does in the Pomegranate close 

 Jewels more rare than Ormus shows.* 



In winter the woods are comparatively 

 bare and lifeless, even the Brambles and 

 Woodbine, which straggle over the tangle of 

 underwood being almost leafless. 



Still even then they have a beauty and 

 interest of their own; the mossy boles of the 

 trees ; the delicate tracery of the branches 

 which can hardly be appreciated when they 

 are covered with leaves ; and under foot the 

 beds of fallen leaves ; while the evergreens 

 seem brighter than in summer ; the ruddy 

 stems and rich green foliage of the Scotch 

 Pines, and the dark spires of the Firs, seeming 

 to acquire fresh beauty. 



1 Marvell. 



