242 Stale Hoyticultural Society. 



The trouble with this age is that it thinks only of feeding the 

 body, and lets the soul starve, even unto death. 



The poet of Persia leans over the balcony and catches the 

 breeze that comes wafted from acres of roses, and his soul thrills 

 in air full of the odor of cloves and precious gums, sandal-wood 

 and cedar, frankincense, forests and cinnamon groves; all over 

 the world are the gardens of the Master where we may worship the 

 divine, and hear along the scented air the softly spoken benedic- 

 tions of Nature. I love the poetry of the garden and enjoy that 

 of our own poets best. Here is a stanza from a little poem that 

 appealed to me wonderfully — 



' 'I know a garden 



Hweet and beautiful, 

 Where tall flowers grow 



As fragrant all as those 

 Which make the longed-for 



Country wonderful. 

 The lily and the rose, 



And smaller blossoms 

 Of forgotten naming, 



That kindle Its dim 

 Corners Into flaming. 



And welcome the tired 

 Eyesight to repose." 



In this little verse is expressed all the weary, homesick long- 

 ing of a tired, city-chained soul for the calm restfulness of a 

 country garden. We need these poems to teach us lessons in the 

 philosophy of true living; they are the ones we most need to learn, 

 and so, in my essays, I always attempt to apotheosize the soul, not 

 that I wish to depreciate things less the real, but for the reason 

 that material things are given so much attention that they need 

 sometimes to be ignored in favor of higher and better qualities. 



It has often been said, and with absolute truth, that the high- 

 est and best things belonging to human life cannot be bought with 

 money. Love, truth, faith, hope, trust, and all the nobler attributes 

 of character are not purchasable commodities. Is it not worth 

 while, in view of this fact, for an essayist to sometimes consider 

 these finer forces, even at the expense of being thought impractical ? 



All things in Nature are of value, some only for beauty, others 

 for utility alone ; thus is maintained a true balance. We must not 

 forget the usefulness of the grass, while admiring the beauty and 

 enjoying the sweetness of the rose. 



Nor must we forget that industry and economy are essential 

 elements of character. While we are paying tribute to finer virtues 

 let us try to fathom the wisdom contained in this statement, "The 



