he quits the chastised summer of our temperate clime for those regions where a perpetual Summer reigns, exalted by fuch fuperior degrees of folar heat as give an entirely new face to almost every part of nature. The terrific grandeur prevalent in some of these, the exquifite richness and beauty in others, and the novelty in all, afford such a happy variety for the poet's selection, that we need not wonder if some of his nobleft pieces are the product of this delightful excurfion. He returns, however, with apparent fatiffaction, to take a laft survey of the fofter summer of our island; and, after clofing the prospect of terreftrial beauties, artfully fhifts the scene to celestial fplendours, which, though perhaps not more striking in this feafon than in fome of the others, are now alone agreeable objects of contemplation in a northern climate.

Autumn is too eventful a period in the hiftory of

year within the temperate parts of the globe, to require foreign aid for rendering' it more varied and interefting. The promise of the Spring is now fulfilled. The filent and gradual process of maturation is completed; and Human Industry beholds with triumph the rich products of its toil. The vegetable tribes disclose their infinitely various forms of fruit ;

which term, while, with refpect to common ufe, it is confined to a few peculiar modes of fructification, in the more comprehenfive language of the Naturalift includes every product of vegetation by which the rudiments of a future progeny are developed, and feparated from the parent plant. These are in part collected and stored up by thofe animals for whose fustenance during the ensuing sleep of nature they are provided. The reft, furnished with various contrivances for diffemination, are fcattered, by the friendly winds which now begin to blow, over the furface of that earth which they are to clothe and decorate. The young of the animal race, which Spring and Summer had brought forth and cherished, having now acquired fufficient vigour, quit their concealments, and offer themselves to the pursuit of the carnivorous among their fellow-animals, and of the great deftroyer man. Thus the scenery is enlivened with the various fports of the hunter; which, however repugnant they may appear to that fyftem of general benevolence and fympathy which philofophy would inculcate, have ever afforded a moft agreeable exertion to the human powers, and have much to plead in their favour as a necessary part of the great plan of Nature. Indeed, fhe marks her intention

with fufficient precifion, by refufing to grant any longer those friendly shades which had grown for the protection of the infant offspring. The grove lofes its honours; but before they are entirely tarnished, an adventitious beauty, arifing from that gradual decay which loofens the withering leaf, gilds the autumnal landscape with a temporary fplendour, fuperior to the verdure of Spring, or the luxuriance of Summer. The infinitely various and ever-changing hues of the leaves at this season, melting into every foft gradation of tint and shade, have long engaged the imitation of the painter, and are equally happy ornaments in the defcription of the poet.

Thefe unvarying fymptoms of approaching Winter now warn feveral of the winged tribes to prepare for their aërial voyage to those happy climates of perpetual summer, where no deficiency of food or fhelter can ever distress them; and about the fame time other fowls of hardier conftitution, which are contented with escaping the iron winters of the arctic regions, arrive to fupply the vacancy. Thus the ftriking scenes afforded by that wonderful part of the economy of Nature, the migration of birds, prefent themselves at this feafon to the poet. The thickening fogs, the heavy rains, the swoln rivers, while

E

they deform this finking period of the year, add new fubjects to the pleasing variety which reigns through. out its whole courfe, and which juftifies the poet's character of it, as the season when the Mufe " beft exerts her voice."

Winter, directly oppofite as it is in other refpects to Summer, yet resembles it in this, that it is a Seafon in which Nature is employed rather in fecretly preparing for the mighty changes which it fucceffively brings to light, than in the actual exhibition of them. It is therefore a period equally barren of events; and has still lefs of animation than Summer, inafmuch as lethargic infenfibility is a flate more diftant from vital energy than the languor of indolent repose. From the fall of the leaf, and withering of the herb, an unvarying death-like torpor oppreffes almost the whole vegetable creation, and a confiderable part of the animal, during this entire portion of the

year. The whole infect race, which filled every part of the Summer landscape with life and motion, are now either buried in profound fleep, or actually no longer exift, except in the unformed rudiments of a future progeny. Many of the birds and quadrupeds are retired to concealments, from which not even the calls of hunger can force them; and the rest, in

tent only on the preservation of a joyless being, have ceased to exert thofe powers of pleafing, which, at other seasons, so much contribute to their mutual happiness, as well as to the amusement of their human fovereign. Their focial connexions, however, are improved by their wants. In order the better to procure their fcanty fubfiftence, and refift the inclemencies of the sky, they are taught by instinct to asfemble in flocks; and this provifion has the fecondary effect of gratifying the fpectator with something of novelty and action even in the dreariness of a wintry profpect.

But it is in the extraordinary changes and agitations which the elements and the furrounding atmofphere undergo during this season, that the poet of nature must principally look for relief from the gloomy uniformity reigning through other parts of the crea tion. Here scenes are presented to his view, which, were they lefs frequent, muft ftrike with wonder and admiration the moft incurious fpectator. The effects of cold are more fudden, and in many inftances more extraordinary and unexpected, than those of heat. He who has beheld the vegetable productions of even a northern Summer, will not be greatly amazed at the richer, and more luxuriant, but ftill refembling,