344 WILD FLOWEES OP 



stretches far into the heavens, lightening off into the 

 pure deep azure. The sun enshrined within a crimson 

 haze slowly descends to his curtained pavillion, and 

 his blood-red orb intensely brilliant sinks through the 

 haze of crimson till bisected by the long deep purple 

 stratus-cloud. Extending lines of topaz and ruby 

 gleam along the sea as the sun sinks behind the cloud, 

 and rests for a moment with his verge upon the 

 waves the splendid pageant is gone ! 



In the intervals of our excursions stray we for a 

 moment to the garden, to note some of the glories of 

 the advancing summer floral reign there, thus temper- 

 ing the ardour of investigation, resting thought, even 

 amidst floral sights, and preparing for new excursions. 



Before our view the White Lily (Lilium candidum) 

 still appears the most conspicuous flower, and like a 

 queen of beauty reigns supreme over the parterre, 

 difiusing odours of the most delicious kind. This and 

 other white blossoms are now observable throughout 

 the whole night. The lofty Sunflower, and various 

 Convolvuluses are also in full perfection at this time ; 

 Snapdragons, Mulleins, Campanulas, Tiger- Lilies, and 

 many others. " The force of Nature can no farther 

 go," at least in this climate, and the magnificence 

 of the flower border, with the exception of the length- 

 ened reign of the princely family of the Dahlias, 

 enters upon the wane at the close of the present 



month. 



" The earth is one great temple, made 



For worship, every where, 

 And its flowers are the bells in glen and shade, 

 That ring the heart to prayer. 



