LARCH TREE. 



207 



and so high its pohsh ; but it proved to be only of 

 Lai'ch wood of the growth of Provence, then famous for 

 its forests of Lai'ch. The beautv of its pohshed hue, and 

 of its dehcate carvings, determined the count to spare his 

 door, and he returned to that leading^ from the back 

 stau'-case 



It has been observed that the Larch is in abundance 

 in some parts of Switzerland where there are few other 

 trees ; it is often found in places comparatively barren. 

 Mrs. Radchffe in the following passage gives a striking 

 picture of one of these scenes : 



" The scene of baiTenness was here and there inter- 

 rupted bv the spreading branches of the Larch and 

 cedar, which threw their gloom over the chfF, or athwart 

 the torrent that rolled in the vale. No hving creature 

 appeared, except the izard scrambhng among the rocks, 

 and often hanging upon points so dangerous that fancy 

 shrunk from the view of them -f-.'' 



The scene here described is amono; the Pvrenees, in 

 the vicinity of some of the loveliest spots ever dra^vn by 

 pen, or pencil, or even by the hand of Nature herself ; 

 so greatly does she delight to connect beautv with gloom. 

 This union has been particularly noticed by a modern 

 author : 



" This hut was very old ; that part of it which was 

 built of stone was covered with moss, hchens, and wall- 

 flowers, whose beautv and scent appeared ahen to the 

 gloom around : But amidst desolation and horror. Nature 

 loves to place the lovely and excellent, that man, vie^nng 

 the scene, may not forget that she, the mother, dwells 

 everywhere;!:.'' 



* Vol. iii. p. 170. t Vol. i. p. 41. % Valperga, vol. iii. p. 2. 



