AUTUMN. "In Autumn, when birds cease their notes, The ripened nuts, plucked in a woody vale." SIMILE. "He saw an elm embraced by a vine, Clipping so strictly, that they seemed to be NEGLECTED VINE. "With hanging head I have beheld NIGHT. "The sable mantle of the silent Night K Rooks to their nests in high woods now were flung, When nought was heard but now and then the howl MORNING. "Twice had the cock crown, and in cities strong DESOLATION. "Near to the shore that bordered on the rock No crab-tree bore his load, nor thorn his haw: LOVERS PARTING. "Look as a lover, with a lingering kiss, Then says, he must be gone, and then doth find To kiss, to vow, and take his leave again; Then turns, comes back, sighs, pants, and yet doth go, So part I." And so part we with reluctance from our task, not having quoted half the passages we had marked. But we have done enough to call attention to the writings of this sterling old English author, and have no doubt but that we shall soon see a cheap reprint of his works; for we are certain that they are calculated both to amend the head and heart. Our extracts have not been fairly made, as we have attempted to give those which bear upon rural scenery, rather than such as are marked by their general bearing in the work, and the harmony of their connection. Thus we have been compelled to break the sweet links of his song, and very often to add a word or two of our own, to bring in the passages best suited for our purpose. We have, however, done a duty which we felt bound to accomplish; and although we are certain that it required abler hands than our own for such a task, yet have we done it to the best of our ability, conscious that, whatever may be the results, we mean well to our readers and the public. Although we have not always made such quotations as our own judgment pointed out as the best, yet we do think, among those which we have selected, passages will be found of great and varied power; such as will prove that the author is a true genius, and that, if even he possesses nothing more, he is worthy of being placed among the best of our pastoral and rural poets. His close observation of nature we have in many instances so clearly pointed out, that no one can mistake the beauty of the passages. We could have been content to have read his works-to have taken them out with us into the fields and there enjoyed their beauties alone, had we not felt it a duty to make others partakers of our enjoyment, and do something towards bringing about a more pure taste for poetry. We know our own position well; for, humble as it is, it gives us the power of doing either good or evil, to a limited extent; and we would not be numbered amongst those who labour without an object;—and shall be disappointed if we do not make our readers acquainted with "Britannia's Pastorals and the Shepherd's Pipe," written by the almost forgotten William Browne. It has been one of my chief objects in this volume to give as much variety to the matter as I well could, that every reader might find something to suit his own particular taste. In my present sketch I purpose to give a simple love-storya tale of a youth and a maiden who passed most of their hours in an old wood, and lived almost as secluded as ringdoves. He was one of those whom Fate seemed to have ordained for great things; then given up, as if she shrunk from |