158 WILD FLOWERS OF 



Avens ( Gemn rivale) ; or climb with daring step, the 

 fearful crags of the Breidden in Montgomeryshire, to 

 gather once more the white Cinquefoil (JPotentilla ru 

 pestris), on the only mountain in Britain where its 

 stainless flowers charm the wondering gaze ? Shall 

 we mount the strange fortress-like Steiper-stones, or 

 the basaltic Glee Hills in proud Salopia, for the Yellow 

 Violet ; pluck the flossy Cotton-grasses, that bend to 

 the breeze white as snow upon the bogs of the Brecon 

 Fans ; or rest in the calm sunnv noon amidst the dark 



J 



and ever verdant thickets that clothe the famed Box- 

 hill in Surrey ? 



The Botanical Explorator must progress in turn to 

 a hundred scenes like these, for to him they have a 

 double charm as botanical haunts where kindred 

 spirits have trodden before him, while the scenes they 

 present tinge his thoughts and charm his labours. So 

 inspired, twice have we toiled up the bold limestone 

 shelves of the Great Orme's Head, to see the Cotone- 

 aster's round candicant leaves and creamy blooms 

 rooted among the fissures, with broken relics of 

 druidean worship, and riven crags of desolate anti- 

 quity darkly looming round as the clouds slowly 

 descended upon the scene. 



But the beautiful claims attention equally with the 

 sublime, so rest we for a season near the vale of Glou- 

 cester, the countless villas of fair Cheltenham 

 intermixed with the foliage of the vales, and the dark 

 belt of the Cotteswolds rising in theatrical pomp as a 

 fine background that at present meets our view. For 

 we are now upon the long indented Cotteswold ridge, 

 bristling with broken oolitic crags, and adorned with 

 the specious though somewhat rough blue flowers of 



