The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-04 00:00:00

ILLUMINATED MAGAZINE.

The embellishments to this Magazine are, as usual,
excellent ; among them is a picturesque sylvan scene
representing a venerable forest oak stretching its
huge branches across a stream, whose waters it throws
into deep shadow. There is infinite spirit shown in
the execution of this plate. There is some lively
dialogue in the " Adventures of a Scamp," but the
article is too much spun out. It is amusingly illus-
trated by Leech, who is no unworthy successor of
George Cruikshank. We quote the following sketch
of an English farmer from a descriptive article en-
titled " A Seasonable Gossip :"
" Let us now glance for a moment at the farmer, the
genuine unsophisticated yeoman of the old school—the
broad-backed, strong-limbed, and brawny-handed scion
of the ancient stock— what a transformation the autumn
works in him ! Much as we respect the many traits of
excellence peculiar to his character, we must confess,
that he is, in general, a dull and ponderous animal, a
slow-spoken, heavy-witted saunterer, patiently watchful
of the progress of his crops, and punctually attentive to
the periodical satisfaction of his appetites; but at hay-
sell and at harvest, how marvellous the change ! It is a
strife between the laverock and himself, which shall be
first abroad; and as with him so with his household.
The earliest glance shot by the rising sun, through the
sparkling casement of his ample kitchen, shines 'upon
every member of the family, old and young, circling
a breakfast-table laden with abundance most profuse.
Brief space, not idly spent, is thus consumed. Without,
a sleek and silken-coated cob, saddled and bridled,
awaits tho burden of his master's bulk, and, mounting
this, the anxious yeoman hastens to the fields. .The
swarthy reapers own the influence of their master's eye,
and sickles glance like lightning-flashes through the
yielding corn. Sometimes, alighting from his nag, he
wields that implement himself, and with a lower,
broader sweep, enjoins a greater thrift of straw, dwell-
ing exultingly the while (how mournful is the yearly
retrocession of the world !) upon the superior mode of
reaping and of binding sheaves, which generally ob-
tained when he was young ; while elder men, who were
his rustic tutors in the labours of the field, bury their
brown faces in the wheat, and with difficulty suppress a
smothered laugh. Presently he is among the busiest of
the carters in a neighbouring field, pitching the sheaves,
or driving team, or portioning out supplies of beer, or
ruminating on the quality and prospective value of his
well-housed oats. And so he flits from field to field,
busy as the busiest, and manifesting a ♦olubility of
speech and suppleness of limbs peculiar to the occasion,
rather than the individual. Dinner supplies him with a
timely respite, but the customary nap which used to
follow like an epilogue, is now foregone, and afternoon,
and even night (if the sky be threatening); find him
lingering in the fields with the adhesive pertinacity of
the worthy in the old ballad, who
Oft fitted the halter, oft traversed the cart,
And often took leave, but seem'd loath to depart.'
Nor is it merely in the harvest-field and in the home-
stead that the most delightful characteristics of the sea-
son are observable. Orchards and garden•grounds are
rich with their abundant fruitage ; and creaking
branches heavy with luscious burdens, droop to the very
ground, which they so richly chequer with their restless
shadows.