SUNSET OF THE YEAR.

(OCTOBER.)

Sweet Summer's scowling foe impatient stands
On the horizon near of Nature's view.
At the sad sight the sweetly-coloured lands
Filled with the glowing woodlands' dying hue,
For Winter's darkening reign prepare the way.
In the green garden the tall Autumn flowers,
Filling with fragrant breath the beauteous bowers,
With resignation wait their dying day;
Bending their heads submissive to the will
Of Him, at whose command the sun stands still,
Nor dares to send to earth his gladd'ning ray.
Filled with the feeling of the coming doom
Of Nature's beauteous deeds, the heavenly hill
Hides its sad, shuddering face in cloudy gloom.
A whispering silence overhangs the scene,
As if awaiting the dark Winter storm
That fills with fear Hope's slowly-withering form.
Sinking to wintry death--till, pure and green,
Spring shall descend in song from sunny skies,
Smiling her into life. The sad wind sighs
Through flowerless woods, glowing towards their death,
In Winter's cruel, poison-breathing breath.
Fierce grows the murmur of the woodland rill,
Foaming in fury thro' the pensive trees,
Down the steep glen of the mist-mantled hill;
Deeper the roar of death-presageful seas;
While in the changeful woods the rivers seem
Wandering for ever in a Winter dream!

MAIDENKIRK, 1875. DAVID R. WILLIAMSON.

_LITERATURE._

_TRANSACTIONS OF THE GAELIC SOCIETY OF INVERNESS. Vols. III. and IV.,
1873-74 and 1874-75 (Bound in one)._

THIS is the third publication issued by the Gaelic Society since its
establishment in 1871. The previous volumes were very creditable,
especially the first, but the one now before us is out of sight superior
not only in size, but in the quality of its contents. First we have an
Introduction of eight pages giving the history of the movement in favour
of establishing a Celtic Chair in one of our Scottish Universities, and
the steps taken by the Gaelic Society of London, who appear to have
worked single-handed to promote this object since 1835, when they
presented their first petition to the House of Commons, down to 1870,
when the Council of the Edinburgh University took the matter in hand. In
December 1869 the Gaelic Society of London sent out circulars addressed
to ministers of all denominations in Scotland