30 POETICAL LANGUAGE OP FLOWERS. 
level brow of the hill was gained; and then, far as 
the eye could wander, it commanded a view of a vast 
outstretched landscape, diversified with spires, and 
plains, and woods, intercepted every way with a broad 
clear river, that went rolling and bending along, until 
it dwindled into a mere thread of silver, as it was lost 
in the distance. On the brow of this beautiful hill a 
plain rustic seat had been erected by the inhabitants 
of the cottage in the valley, and as there was no 
thoroughfare beyond what was traversed by the 
neighboring villagers, as they came morning and 
evening to milk the cows, which were heard lowing 
among the hilly fields ; the summit, like the valley it 
overlooked, was seldom trodden by the foot of a 
stranger. And often on a summer’s evening, when 
the labor of the day was over, might the form of a 
lovely maiden be seen leaving that cottage, and climb¬ 
ing the steep ascent of the hill, carrying either a little 
work-basket on her arm, or a book in her hand, and 
every now and then pausing to look over the land¬ 
scape, as she threaded her way to the rustic seat. 
Sometimes she sent forth her voice in gushing music, 
which was prolonged and reverberated through the 
dale, as if the echoes of the valley were her compan- 
