The arms of the giant trees are tossed on high in angry and discordant commotion. They rush through the valley with the impetuous swoop of the majestic eagle; and seem to be intercepted by the close-columned wood which crowns the neighbouring height. But what can impede their march ?—what stay their progress? Forcing their impetuous way through the dense mass, gust succeeds to gust, and roar to roar. The countless leaves, which danced merrily in the light of the summer sun to the tune of the birds which dwelt among their branches, are sear and yellow, stripped from their tremulous hold, driven before them like chaff and whirled high in the air, strewing the field, and the road, and the footpath, and the brook, with the spoils of the glory of Summer-the devastation of Autumn. Deeper and deeper becomes the thick gloom, darkening the face of the broad and swelling waters, and the hues of the distant mountains. The quick rain-drops intermingled with chilling hail, come rushing to the earth with an impetuosity which dashes from the tremulous bough ten thousand leaves. Still the blast hurries onwards, and increases the devastation of the scene. The darkness which is spread around, becomes more frightful by the brilliancy of the lightning, flash after flash. The huge bosom of the deepest cloud seems

cleft in twain; and the thunder rolls awfully, peal after peal. The progress of the storm is not stayed. The mass of riven clouds moves triumphantly over the land, hurling vengeance below, stripping the forest of its glory, spreading desolation around, and swelling the murmuring brooks, until the elemental war is lost in the far distance. The spirit of calmness then furls her wings, and broods in silence over the scene of ruin and devastation.

The day partly chilly and stormy-partly bright and gloomy-closes its eye with a look indicative of the approach of that decay which awaits upon man, and beast, and bird, and insect-upon leaf, and tree, and flower, and fruit

of the period, when the foot of winter will crush all apparent traces of existence and his icy hands enchain both earth and stream. Yet the mind becomes renewed and reinvigorated at the consideration, that the Spring will again come forth in all her glory; that the dormant flower will again put on her blooming and perfumed robe; that the hills, the valleys, and the woods, refreshed by the sleep of Winter, will again awake to a lovelier splendour; and that the heart will reassume its wonted tone of joy and gladness.

THE HEDGER AND DITCHER.

What time the laboured ox

In his loose traces from the furrow came,
And the swinkt hedger at his supper sat.

MILTON'S COMUS.

It was said by a noble and learned lord, whose fame, like that of many fancied great men of our day and generation, will hang upon the utterance of a single significant phrase, that no act of parliament was ever passed into law, but a coach and six might be driven through its provisions. Admirable legislation -immaculate power of perfection-profundity of consummate wisdom! Laws should be enacted for the benefit of all classes of society, from the splendid star and garter, "the cheap defence of nations," to the humblest badge of industry, the source of the wealth of all king

doms, without being so incorrectly framed as to be defeated by sophistry, or so loosely constructed as to be crept through by violence or deception. They are the fences which divide property, which define its just and proper bounds, which protect its rights and enforce its privileges, which raise up barriers against encroachment on the one hand, and against confiscation and destruction on the other. It is true, that, from time to time, it is needful that these fences should be plashed, the old tree of precedent pollared, not uprooted, the gaps made up, the exuberance lopped, the rotten parts amputated.

In this view of the matter, the HEDGER and DITCHER is a personage of no inferior importance. He fulfils the great functions of legislation itself; and although it may not be said of him, like the grave-digger in Hamletthat his work lasts till doomsday, yet the Hedger and Ditcher is the means, by the exercise of his laborious capabilities, of fulfiling the several important purposes embraced in acts of parliament, which, sanctioned by the highest power in the state, still require amendment, according to the altered circumstances of the day, and the inroads which have

been effected from time to time, by violence, by turbulence, or by over-strained privilege, totally disregarding the labour of the head in one instance, and the labour of the hand in the other. Truly, the Hedger and Ditcher is, nemine contradicente, an important and useful character.

God forbid, it has been well exclaimedGod forbid that the time should ever come when riches shall be esteemed everywhere the synonyme of good! The spirit of Mammon has a wide empire; but it cannot, and must not, be worshipped in the Holy of Holies! No:-if that were the case, poverty would be feared as an inexorable monster; and there would be no freedom, no truth, no wisdom, no harmony. It was well said by Goethe, that "all pleasure in life is founded on the regular return of external things. The alternations of day and night, of the seasons, of the blossoms and fruits, and whatever else meets us from epoch to epoch with the offer and command of enjoyment—these are the essential springs of earthly existence. The more open we are to such enjoyments, the happier we feel ourselves; but, should the vicissitude of these appearances come and go without our taking interest