Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 23 THE PLEASURES OF AUTUMN. It is Autumn. The vernal flowers have withered and are passed away; the glory of Summer has faded into sober tints ; yet is not beauty extinct: yet glows the landscape with loveliness ; changed, in- deedj but ever grateful, ever cheering to the eye of man. Flowers, indeed, have passed away, but the ripening fruit blushes on the bending bough. The meadows have lost their flower- woven covering, but the corn-fields are embrowned with the waving harvest. The wild rose no longer blooms uponthe bank, but the hop flaunts its wild garland over hedge and bush, its climbing tendrils creep around the tall pole, and hang, many a fragrant cluster, in graceful profusion. No more the mower's scythe sounds blithsome from the vale. But the reaper's song is heard cheerily breaking the silence of noon. Many a joyous group encircle the luxuriant apple-tree, and shake from the trembling boughs the ruddy fruit. . Gay are the bands that pick the hop- flower from the flexile plant. Pleasure is not fled, it is but varied. Beauty yet glows in the landscape, and gladdens the view. The hawthorn no longer scents the air, but the dark blackberry courts the thirsty lip. The primrose no longer brightens the coppice, but the clustered nuts fall at the touch of the merry wanderer. What season, oh man! is without its joys ? ' . -l .. ' Is not each the appointment of God ? And is not God the fountain of beauty and happiness ? What spot of the globe is destitute of grace or usefulness ? Is not every spot of the globe the work of God ? And is not God the essence of power and of mercy! What animate or inanimate object is without some charm or some utility! Is not every object created by God ? And is not God the source of all wis... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.