28 GILPIN S FOREST SCBNEEY. 



But, besides the appearance of moss upon tlie 

 trunhs of trees, it creeps among the branches, 

 and sometimes takes possession, not only of the 

 larger boughs, but even of the smaller spray. 

 In winter this has often a fine effect, when the 

 whole tree, turned into a beautiful piece of straw- 

 coloured coral, appears against a dark wood, or 

 some other background, which gives it relief. In 

 a strong sunshine, too, it is beautiful, when the 

 light, straw-coloured tints contrast with the 

 shadows formed by the twisting of the boughs, 

 which are sometime still further deepened by 

 some of the darker mosses. 



Thus the maladies of trees are greatly sub- 

 servient to the uses of the pencil. The foliage 

 is the dress ; and these are the ornaments. Even 

 the poet will sometimes deign to array his tree 

 with these picturesque ornaments. I am always 

 glad of his authority, when I can have it : and I 

 have seen a poetical Oak garnished in a way that 

 the painter might copy from. In general, how- 

 ever, the poet is not, like the painter, uniform in 

 his admiration of these pleasing appendages. If 

 at one time he admires them with the painter, 



