growths of the tropics. But one, who has always been accustomed to view water in a liquid and colourless ftate, cannot form the leaft conception of the fame element as hardened into an extenfive plain of folid cryftal, or covering the ground with a robe of the pureft white. The higheft poffible degree of aftonishment muft therefore attend the firft view of these phenomena; and as in our temperate climate but a small portion of the year affords thefe fpec-' tacles, we find that, even here, they have novelty enough to excite emotions of agreeable furprise. But it is not to novelty alone that they owe their charms. Their intrinfic beauty is, perhaps, individually fuperior to that of the gayeft objects presented by the other feasons. Where is the elegance and brilliancy that can compare with that which decorates every tree or bush on the clear morning fucceeding a night of hoar froft? or what is the luftre that would not appear dull and tarnished in competition with a field of fnow juft glazed over with froft? By the vivid defcription of fuch objects as thefe, contrafted with the favage fublimity of ftorms and tempefts, our poet has been able to produce a fet of winter landscapes, as engaging to the fancy as the apparently happier fcenes of genial warmth and verdure.

But he has not trusted entirely to these resources for combating the natural fterility of Winter. Repeating the pleafing artifice of his SUMMER, he has called in foreign aid, and has heightened the scenery with grandeur and horror not our own. The famished troops of wolves pouring from the Alps; the mountains of fnow rolling down the precipices of the fame regions; the dreary plains over which the Laplander urges his rein-deer; the wonders of the icy sea, and volcanoes "flaming thro' a waste of snow;" are objects judiciously selected from all that Nature prefents moft fingular and striking in the various domains of boreal cold and wintry defolation.

Thus have we attempted to give a general view of those materials which conftitute the ground-work of a poem on the Seasons; which are effential to its very nature; and on the proper arrangement of which its regularity and connexion depend. The extent of knowledge, as well as the powers of defcription, which THOMSON has exhibited in this part of his work, is, on the whole, truly admirable; and though, with the present advanced taste for accurate observation in Natural History, fome improvements might be fuggefted, yet he certainly remains unrivalled in the lift of defcriptive poets.

But the rural landscape is not folely made up of land, and water, and trees, and birds, and beasts; man is a distinguished fire in it; his multiplied occupations and concerns introduce themselves into every part of it; he intermixes even in the wildeft and rudeft fcenes, and throws a life and intereft upon every furrounding object. Manners and character therefore conftitute a part even of a descriptive poem; and in a plan fo extenfive as the hiftory of the year, they must enter under various forms, and upon numerous occafions.

The most obvious and appropriated use of human figures in pictures of the Seasons, is the introduction of them to affist in marking out the fucceffion of annual changes by their various labours and amusements. In common with other animals, man is directed in the diverfified employment of earning a toilfome fubfiftence by an attention to the viciffitudes of the feasons; and all his diverfions in the fimple ftate of ruftic fociety are alfo regulated by the fame circumftance. Thus a series of moving figures enlivens the landscape, and contributes to ftamp on each scene its peculiar character. The fhepherd, the husbandman, the hunter, appear in their turns ; and may be confidered as natural concomitants of that portion of the yearly round which prompts their feveral occupations.

But it is not only the bodily purfuits of man which are affected by these changes; the sensations and affections of his mind are almoft equally under their influence and the refult of the whole, as forming the enamoured votary of Nature to a peculiar cast of character and manners, is not less conspicuous. Thus the Poet of the SEASONS is at liberty, without deviating from his plan, to defcant on the varieties of moral conftitution, and the powers which external causes are found to poffefs over the temper of the foul. He may draw pictures of the paftoral life in all its genuine fimplicity; and, affuming the tone of a moral inftructor, may contraft the peace and felicity of innocent retirement with the turbulent agitations of ambition and avarice.

The various incidents too, upon which the fimple tale of rural events is founded, are very much modeled by the difference of seasons. The catastrophes of Winter differ from thofe of Summer; the fports of Spring from thofe of Autumn. Thus, little hif tory pieces and adventures, whether pathetic or amufing, will fuggeft themselves to the Poet; which, when properly adapted to the fcenery and circumftances, may very happily coincide with the main defign of the compofition.

The bare enumeration of these several occafions of introducing draughts of human life and manners, will be fufficient to call to mind the admirable use which THOMSON throughout his whole poem has made of them. He, in fact, never appears more truly infpired with his fubject, than when giving birth to thofe fentiments of tenderness and beneficence, which feem to have occupied his whole heart. An univerfal benevolence, extending to every part of the animal creation, manifests itself in almost every scene he draws; and the rural character, as delineated in his feelings, contains all the softness, purity, and fimplicity that are feigned of the golden age. Yet, excellent as the moral and sentimental part of his work must appear to every congenial mind, it is, perhaps, that in which he may the most eafily be rivalled. A refined and feeling heart may derive from its own proper fources a ftore of correfponding fentiment, which will naturally clothe itself in the form of expreffion beft fuited to the occafion. Nor does the invention of thofe fimple incidents which are most adapted to excite the fympathetic emotions, require any great ftretch of fancy. The nearer they approach to common life, the more certainly will they produce their effect. Wonder and furprise are af