New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS
=, ,oGs WOODS AND BY-wAYs OF Nh"
ENGLAND.

THE WOODS 80 go ,smo pp. H2 j. r. o. sood &
Of rural life in New England is not
ine o,,,ea for the first tin e by this volume
Ins nav. .,o charm of Mr.. FlaFg writings the as
',s % Nature with which oe has become familiar
-, ON earnest and aAecdonate communion. His
trmer work entitled Studies in Field and Forest
was singulsrly attractive specimen OF sylvan COM
oston fragrant with the vernal Odors of the woods
and revealing with subtle touch the secret
wealth of the heart of Nature. The present
volame is animated by the same spirit, ana
devoted TO similar themes. Ii is evidently the pro-
siactiOn of who is at home in the quiet Ieuea's
of rural beauty whose watehful eye bas uetee'eu
Svery phase Of lOveliness which Nature presents oiS
TO her seectest votaries but whose passion ior Tue
retrements Of the forest has not chilled his love Tor
the interests Of humanity. Although his lie mas
been passed in seclUsOn. with few companions
bevopd his own family circle, he has not become
amisaptlrrope or a visionary. Nor have his studies
Of Nature been pursued with the eXclusiVeness Oh
science lie has never been collectOrof specimens
a dissector of birds and flowers measurer OF
tees nor a hammerer of rocks. AS he IN
forms his readers in the admirable preface 10 ms
volume. which is pervaded by vein of egotsm, so
sincere and modest as to make it delightful, I" his
book differs from learned works as Lavaters Physi-
ognomy' differs from Cheselden's Anatomy or as
a lovers description Of his ady's hand would diner
from Bells anatomical description Of IT," lie has
aimed less at the production of picturesque
sketches than TO infuse the spirit OF tne
scene into the hearts of his readers. lie has
not GONE ont Of his way in search of sensational ell
fccts but has found his themes in the ORDINARY tea-
lures Of daily life. The objects that meet the eye
in the vicinity Of every country village the inmates
of the lowly cottage with their baskets of whorte-
berries and their bundles of dried herbs the common
trees and shrubs Of the wood and the wayslde,
have sureested the lessons in which he has studied
the oracles of Nature.
MI. Flage's descriptions Of peculiar value from
their mnuteness and exactneSs of detail although
as he coniesses he strives to illustrate the sentiment
OF scene. rather than to3give scientific analysis
of its features. In the following remarks Oh
'Foliage.7 for instance, the prevailing beauty OF
expression is finely blended with rich store Of
original and instructive suggestion.
Foliage IL The most conspicuous Of the minute produo
tlons III nature. To the leaves Of trees We look no
"a, .jf source OF grateful shade and OF the genera
charms Of summer They are the rde OF Trees no les
in The atmosphere They afford coneealment TO small
birds and quadrPeds they give GooT 10 nS SDOus sp
ness. 10 remarkable Ipat we always trace Win ue
HE irost.work widows, in the lchens that cove
the rocks in the forest, in tue figures on butterfly
Niug Especially IN artsdO admire the imitation D
foliage. II Is indeed, the source OF half the beauty o
ia iS as Neil ~ Of woods Flowers are partial in the
Distribution hut foliage uni versa and Is the ipateIa
with which displays countless forms u beauty
from te small accuar leaves OF the ie.te h, G
plant 90 The broad penno9s OF the banana u'"' No."
With Inc putting forth Of leaves SIC associate he mos
halfrnioided condition and IN their lighter hues we be
hold revival of spring. and IN their full development
joyful frutOu Of Summer. The different cOlors they
assume indeed the true dials Of the year. pale
Shades AN denote It's yernal opening; dark and uni
form shades of green mark the Summer; and those o
gold crimson, and russell the Autumn so that 10y the
leaves alone might determine the mouth Of the year
Tucy form delightful gronRdwoLk pom or rult ana
cord WITH any mts of vegetation IL we consider
compare with flowers either in beauty OF
form or color. single leaf seldom attracts a
50 important part of the beauty Of Nature that she
would not possess any great attraction for the sight
without them cactus, though admired as curiosity
the parent Of magnificent flowers is on account OF
is eafess habit but miserable object; nd We eau
Imagine how forlorn must be the scenery OF Peru
van regions whore the different species OF co are the
very general to admire foliage in proportion it
but however desirable this may be 70 yield pleasant
retreat on sumper noon, the beauty Of tree Is not
lumpsh and uniform mass with but little charae-
ttr while with moderately thin foliage, so thin as
be penetrated by the Pickering sunshine, often dis
great deal Of character, by permitting the forms
of The branches be traced through its shadows When
SIT under tree want 90 the blue sky family gm
merug through the leaves and TO view their forms
with prOusOn Of shade il could be obtained only by
sPgsf s se is Cyl SY gfadness when rambling in
brcheu grove IN which The small thu foliage and airy
spray the permit tine and shade TO meet and
T5r magish character Of The foliage Of largeleaved
tees. the tulip and magnolia Is percepube az al
IIostaiy distance causing them 10 appear IKE green
bots Won the landscape The smaIleaved trees on the
contrary, exhibit certain Deatness OF spray, which i'm
mediltely affects the eye with sensation OF beauty
ms at1arauce is beautifully exempled in the beech
ROIae OF the largeeaved trees, however possess kind
OF onaty that renders them very attractive. Such is
the hOrsechestnu that spreads out IT'S broad pamate
leaves with their tips slightly dropping like 50 many
parasOs held above another People have learned 10
admire large aud broad foliage from descriptions Of the
immense Of tropical leaves, and by assOcatlng them
MI Ng "A
lenuOlike leaves Of the banana and the VIDE ronds
U The fan PAIN pstulaig excite lAe Imagination ol the
The form Of leaves, less than their size, has great
share general effects, when viewed from a
distant point where their outlines cannot De Olseln-
II they deeply cleft, like those OF the river
maple and the scarlet oak, or finely pnnate, Ike those
o. The locust ana the mountain ASH we perceive hght
feathery appearance IN the whole mass before We are
near enough 10 distinguish the form OF individual leaves
This quality ~ apparent IN the money locust as ar Oh as
be Identified Hence the forms OF leaves 90
not produce ali their effect upon near view but in
ornamental designs n the fine arts the celneaons Of
foliage alone considered In the tracery Of terrestrial
architecture, leaves very general and faYOite
ornament ana phOto graphic pictures Of single leaves
the beauty Of Their outlines becomes more evident ihan
TbS most remarkable quality Of foliage il color and
produce WEAKNESS and hua disgust. OmittiDg what
may lie said Of Autumn tins the different shades Of
green the forest, both while the foliage Is rpenng
AFTER It's maturity constitute very important dis
tncuon Of nciouals and species Pure green IS rarely
found IN any kind except n its early stage OF rpeness
foliage Of tree, when fully matGred, is Slightly
tnged brown OF russell and on the under side with
white blue Painters, therefore, seldom use unal-
lOyed green u their foliage for even they would rep
resent appearance In early Summer, when It's yerdure
ne green forest - be produced only by a liberal
mixture Of Ue iinis OF orange ana yellow when
the sunshine falls upon ~ ana 81 puipe ana NOet "hen
n were 70 select an example Of what me
the puTest Of vegetation should point 10 grass
when smoothly shOrn well-dressed lawn that
the leaf only remains. By comparing Che yerdnre OF