ising ground on this side of the river to that on the opposite side.
The stream winds through the midst of the flat space, without any banks
at all; for it fills its bed almost to the brim, and bathes the meadow
grass on either side. A tuft of shrubbery, at broken intervals, is
scattered along its border; and thus it meanders sluggishly along,
without other life than what it gains from gleaming in the sun. Now,
into the broad, smooth meadow, as into a lake, capes and headlands put
themselves forth, and shores of firm woodland border it, covered with
variegated foliage, making the contrast so much the stronger of their
height and rough, outline with the even spread of the plain. And beyond,
and far away, rises a long, gradual swell of country, covered with an
apparently dense growth of foliage for miles, till the horizon
terminates it; and here and there is a house, or perhaps two, among the
contiguity of trees. Everywhere the trees wear their autumnal dress, so
that the whole landscape is red, russet, orange, and yellow, blending in
the distance into a rich tint of brown-orange, or nearly that,--except
the green expanse so definitely hemmed in by the higher ground.

I took a long walk this morning, going first nearly to Newton, thence
nearly to Brighton, thence to Jamaica Plain, and thence home. It was a
fine morning, with a northwest wind; cool when facing the wind, but warm
and most genially pleasant in sheltered spots; and warm enough
everywhere while I was in motion. I traversed most of the by-ways which
offered themselves to me; and, passing through one in which there was a
double line of grass between the wheel-tracks and that of the horses'
feet, I came to where had once stood a farm-house, which appeared to
have been recently torn down. Most of the old timber and boards had been
carted away; a pile of it, however, remained. The cellar of the house
was uncovered, and beside it stood the base and middle height of the
chimney. The oven, in which household bread had been baked for daily
food, and puddings and cake and jolly pumpkin-pies for festivals, opened
its mouth, being deprived of its iron door. The fireplace was close at
hand. All round the site of the house was a pleasant, sunny, green
space, with old fruit-trees in pretty fair condition, though aged. There
was a barn, also aged, but in decent repair; and a ruinous shed, on the
corner of which was nailed a boy's windmill, where it had probably been
turning an