[!-- Marker --] LESSON LXXII.
UN SUL' LIED, pure; clear.
PHE NOM' E NON, appearance.
TRANS PAR' EN CY, clearness.
AS TON' ISH ING, amazing.
RAM I FI CA' TION, branch, or branching out.
IN DE SCRIB' A BLY, beyond description.
MA JES' TIC, grand.
OC CA' SION AL, occurring at times.
IM PRESS'IVE, powerful; effective.
IN TER SECT' ING, meeting and crossing.
PEN' E TRA TING, piercing.
E' THER, thin or refined air.
CON GEAL' ED, frozen.
BUR' NISH ING, brightening.
EN GEN' DER ED, produced.
EM' BLEM, symbol.
CON TEM PLA' TION, meditation.
EL E VA' TION, loftiness.
FROSTED TREES.
1.
"Ere yet the clouds let fall the treasured snow,
Or winds begun their hazy skies to blow,
At evening, a keen eastern breeze arose,
And the descending rain unsullied froze.
Soon as the silent shades of night withdrew,
The ruddy morn disclosed at once to view
The face of Nature in a rich disguise,
And brightened every object to my eyes.
For every shrub, and every blade of grass,
And every pointed thorn, seemed wrought in glass."
2. Since Sunday, [Feb. 1st, 1852,] we have had presented to our view, the beautiful phenomenon of FROSTED TREES, the most astonishing and brilliant that I ever remember to have noticed. The previous storm and mist had thickly covered every exposed object,—the loftiest trees, the minutest blade, hill and dale, with the icy garment. This transparency was most perfect, defining every form and ramification into exact models of the entire body, branch, or limb.
3. Dwellings and barns were incrusted by the chilling vapor. It hung upon the manes of the cattle, and decorated, wherever seen, the humble grass, which appeared bending, like threads of crystal. The small bushes were indescribably beautiful, and seemed as if chiseled out of the whitest marble. As far as the eye could extend, over brooks, fields, and woods, the same striking and singular sight was universal.
4. I could not remain contented in the house, and toward sunset, hastened away, where the view might be free and uninterrupted. Here, the scene, if possible, was more impressive and interesting. There was scarcely a breath of air, and the general silence was only interrupted by the occasional flight of some winter bird, which, alighting on a limb, would shake down a thousand feathery showers, until he seemed frightened at the unusual sound. The forest trees made a truly majestic appearance, with their naked, giant arms and mossy branches intersecting each other, and fast bound by the frozen barriers.
5. I shall not attempt to describe the brilliancy of the undergrowth and dwarf trees, upon whose limbs hung a delicate frosting, like unwrought silver, nor the crimson glow of the holly-berries through their transparent and icy covering,—all, all was a dazzling and splendid winter array,
"That buries wide the works of man."
It brought to my mind some of the Eastern fairy tales, and their gardens ornamented with shrubs and plants of sparkling crystals.