Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him.

Borland contrasts the seasons as different kinds of “bargains” between nature and human effort. Autumn, in his view, is the season of ripeness and reward: harvests, clear light, and mature beauty arrive after the work of spring and summer has already been done. It is also a time when the natural world seems to slow down, inviting contemplation rather than exertion. The line suggests a philosophy of gratitude and attentiveness—receiving what the world offers without always trying to control or improve it. Implicitly, it values maturity and sufficiency over striving, framing autumn as a model for a humane pace of life.