Withered

Gilpin fills his books with wonderfully detailed descriptions. Goethean, objective, external nature is of the first importance. But he is also aware of how nature can be used as symbol. In the first book of ‘Forest Scenery,” for example he writes:

“As I sat carelessly at my window, and threw my eyes upon a large acacia, which grew before me, I conceived it might aptly represent a country divided into provinces, town and families….As I saw looking at it, many of the yellow leaves…were continually dropping into the lap of their great mother. Here was an emblem of natural decay, the most obvious appearance of mortality…. Among the branches, was one entirely withered, the leaves were shrivelled, yet clinging to it. Here was an emblem of famine. The nutriment of life was stopped. Existence was just supported; but every form was emaciated and shrunk.”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gilpin_%28priest%29