7S WILD FLOWEES OF 



plants, has been called St. Gudula's lamp, from its 

 brilliant yellow colour, apparent and sparkling at a 

 considerable distance. Others are white like paste, 

 and some are bespattered about like the brains of 

 animals. All present singular aspects, and probably 

 nourish peculiar minute aniinalculse. 



In reference to the wet weather that often occurs 

 at this season, FOKSTER quaintly observes that it is 

 " frequently showery, and then the ditches are full 

 and streaming."* Such a state of things HOWITT 

 depicts in the following language, which it must be 

 confessed is a miserable "look out" indeed: It will 

 be, therefore, perhaps better to keep within doors at 

 present, unless the doctor be wanted. " All things 

 are dripping with wet : it hangs upon the walls like a 

 heavy dew ; it penetrates into the drawers and ward- 

 robes of your warmest chambers ; and you are sur- 

 prised at the unusual dampness of your clothes, linen, 

 books, and papers ; and in short almost every thing 

 you have occasion to examine. Brick and stone floors 

 are now dangerous things for delicate and thinly-shod 

 people to stand upon. To this source, and in fact to 

 the damps of this month operating in various ways, 

 may be attributed not a few of the colds, coughs, and 

 consumptions, so prevalent in England. Pavements 

 are now frequently so much elevated by the expansion 

 of the moisture beneath, as to obstruct the opening 

 and shutting of doors and gates ; and your gravel 

 walks resemble saturated sponges. Abroad the streets 

 are flooded with muddy water, and slippery with 

 patches of half-thawed ice and snow, which strike 

 through your shoes in a moment. The houses and 



* Perennial Calendar. 



