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This leads me to observe, that it is not 

 only the change of vegetation which gives 

 to autumn it's golden hue, but also the 

 atmosphere itself, and the lights and sha- 

 dows which then prevail. Spring has its 

 light and flitting clouds, with shadows 

 equally flitting and uncertain ; refreshing 

 showers, with gay and genial bursts of 

 sunshine, that seem suddenly to call forth 

 and to nourish the young buds and flowers. 

 Jn autumn all is matured ; and the rich 

 hues of the ripened fruits, and of the 

 changing foliage, are rendered still richer 

 by the warm haze, which, on a fine day in 

 that season, spreads the last varnish over 

 every part of the picture, In winter, the 

 trees and woods, from their total loss of 

 foliage, have so lifeless and meagre an ap« 

 pearance, so different from the freshness of 

 spring, the fulness of summer, and the 

 richness of autumn, that many, not insen- 

 sible to the beauties of scenery at other 

 times, scarcely look at it during that sea- 

 son. But the contracted circle which the 

 sun then describes, however unwished for 



