thing more of the loveliness which has stirred the enthusiasm and excited the admiration of poets and-in a less degree-of prosateurs. It is true, as one writer feelingly exclaims, that 'Not Spring or Summer's beauty hath such grace As I have seen in one autumnal face,' and it is worth an effort to endeavour to catch and stereotype, so to speak, some of the most prominent of the exquisitely beautiful, but transient, features of the season of Autumn. It is not, perhaps, generally known that transient as these features are in our woodlands-for 'the autumnal forest,' as Gilpin truly says, 'is an instrument easily untuned' by 'one frosty night or parching blast'-yet, as far as the rich and varied tints of autumnal leafage are concerned, they can be retained to charm the eye in portfolios so that the poet's lament over the 'latest loveliest flowers' which Autumn wreaths in many-coloured bowers,' The rich luxuriance * of every view, The temper'd harmony of various shades, Alas! whose beauty blooms at once and fades,' need not find an echo in the soul of the reader who will but take the trouble to seek for and preserve the coloured gems of the autumnal woods. Should this volume suggest to any of its readers the collection and preservation of autumnal leaves not merely as objects in themselves of great beauty, but as reminiscences of pleasant autumn rambles, it will, incidentally, it is hoped, serve a pleasant, if a minor, purpose: and if such a pastime should give to the reader half the pleasure the Author has experienced in wandering by autumn hedges and through autumn woods in search of the materials out of which he has wrought this volume, its perusal will, perhaps, in more than one way, be fruitful of good results. The modus operandi by which the outlines of form, the characteristic venation and the tinting of the leaves figured in the coloured plates which accompany the text of Part II., have been reproduced is fully described in the introductory chapter. The Author's best thanks are due to the artists and lithographers-Messrs Emrik and Binger and to their London representative, Mr. William Day, for the admirable manner in which they have carried out his instructions. The botanical artist employed upon the work is a gentleman of great experience and ability in this especial field. The eighteen wood engravings of New Forest Scenery have been executed from drawings made by Mr. Frederick G. Short, who, living amidst the most beautiful woodland scenery in this country, has learnt his art from the great book of Nature. Mr. Short makes his first public appearance in these pages, and the Author, with an intimate knowledge of the scenes which he has depicted, will be greatly surprised if those who are equally familiar with these scenes do not recognize in this young artist's pictures a touch which no mere art training could give. Mr. James D. Cooper is the engraver, and it is a pleasure to acknowledge the value of his co-operation. Lovers of English scenery, who like to see what they admire ably represented on paper, owe much to him for his admirable and faithful delineations. The twelve initial-letter leaf designs in Part II. of the volume have been designed by the Author and engraved by Mr. Cooper. LONDON, November, 1881. |