8 THE SNOW-DROP. 



curse of an offended God. Next after the blessed 

 bible, a flower-garden is to me the most eloquent 

 of books — a volume teeming with instruction, con 

 solation, and reproof, 



But there is yet another, and somewhat fancifnl 

 view, that I delight to take of these fair things, 

 my course has lain through a busy and a chequer- 

 ed path ; I have been subjected to many changes 

 of place, and have encountered a great variety of 

 characters, who have passed before me like visions 

 of the night, leaving but the remembrance of 

 what they were. I have frequently in my lonely 

 rambles among the flowers, assimilated one and 

 another of them to those unforgotten individuals, 

 until they became almost identified ; and my 

 garden bears a nomenclature which no eye but 

 mine can decypher. Yet if the reader be pleased 

 to accompany me into this parterre, I will exhibit 

 a specimen or two of what I am tempted to call 

 floral biography ; humbly trusting that He who 

 commended to our consideration the growth of 

 the lilies, will be with us, to impart that blessing 

 without which our walks, and words, and thoughts, 

 must be alike unprontably — sinfully vain. 



In glancing around the denuded garden, at this 

 chilling season, we can scarsely fail to fix our re- 

 gards upon the snow-drop, which bows its trem- 

 bling head beneath the blast. Every body loves 

 the delicate snow-drop ; I will not stop to repeat 



