The verdant spring, decked in her brightest gems, and arrayed in her
most gorgeous vesture, has driven hoary winter to his icy caverns, and
leads forth her sportive train to kindle a smile upon the face of
nature. The mountain streamlets, revelling in joyous gaiety at their
disenthralment from the chains of winter, are playfully meandering
among the flowrets which deck their velvet banks; and the smiling
vallies, embosomed amid the lofty mountains, put forth their verdure,
as if in commemoration of him who "holdeth in his hand the destiny of
nations!" The blushing rose has expanded beneath the genial rays of the
resplendent god of day, and scents with its fragrance the vernal
zephyrs which stoop to kiss it as they pass. The woods, and rivers, and
mountains, all clad in their variegated garments, seem to mingle in the
celebration of the grand jubilee of nature!
The flowers of spring have faded. The refulgent sun has ascended yet
higher in his brilliant pathway through the heaven; the gay vesture of
the earth is yellowing beneath his scorching rays. The fruit, of which
the vernal blossoms gave such fair and glorious promise, has ripened
into maturity under his golden influence. Voluptuous summer has been
ushered in upon the stage of time, accompanied and heralded by myriads
of gleesome fairies, wantonly disporting upon the rich carpets,
rivalling in splendor the purple of ancient Tyre, which nature has
spread over the earth for her reception. The chaste Diana holds her
nocturnal course through the blue expanse of ether, studded with
countless gems, the brightest jewels in heaven's diadem, shedding her
mild and mellow light over the sombre forests, and gilding the
sparkling streamlets, which placidly repose beneath her beams. Earth,
sea and air, encompassed by a heavenly serenity, seem to blend their
beauties into one rich picture of loveliness, and offer up their united
orisons to the sovereign Lord of all!
The revolving wheels of time, in their ceaseless and eternal gyrations,
have rolled away the glories of the regal summer into the vast charnel
house of the past--and the demon of decay, like the fiend consumption,
breathing its fatal influence upon the roseate cheek of youthful
beauty, has withered the tresses which hung in wild luxuriancy upon the
bosom of the earth, and has stamped upon her brow the impress of his
iron signet, as if to shadow forth her approaching doom. The limpid
streams which veined her surface, and under the mild sway of the
queenly summer, danced and sparkled in the sun's meridian beam, now
roll lazily along in their channels, as if performing the funeral
obsequies of the buried past. The vallies, but lately decorated in the
blooming apparel of spring, have now assumed a more variegated and
gorgeous hue, which like the hectic flush which fitfully crimsons the
pallid cheek of consumption's hopeless victim, only indicates the
accelerated progress of decay. A deep, monotonous, unbroken stillness
reigns o'er the hills and vallies, but lately teeming with life and
animation. A creeping, deathlike, insidious languor, the sure precursor
of winter's despotic reign, pervades the works of nature, hushing the
breezes which ripple o'er the surface of the placid lake, and fettering
the whole earth in supine inertness. The face of nature is robed in
melancholy sadness, as if mourning over the faded glories of the
declining year!
Onward, in cold and gloomy grandeur, advance the frowning heralds of
the despot winter! Every vestige of vernal beauty has faded from their
presence. The mountains, vales and rivulets, as if anticipating his
hateful arrival, have veiled themselves in a frigid, chilling vesture
of white! Even the tears which sympathising heaven sheds upon the bosom
of the earth, become congealed and frozen beneath his blighting
influence. The volcanic fires which rage in the bosom of the towering
mountain cower in dismay from his terrific glance. At length the
tyrant, with his iron sceptre and icy crown, is seated on his throne.
His attendant ministers rush to assist in the frightful coronation, and
amid the demoniac yells which announce the termination of the loathsome
ceremony, the harsh old Boreas shrieks forth the requiem of the
departed year!