73 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



earliest ages. In the Garden of Eden our 

 first parents received their existence, here 

 for a lonsc time they revelled in innocence 

 and rural enjoyment, till the arch fiend pre- 

 vailed upon tiiem to eat of the forbidden 

 fruit. Well might Adam, when gazing 

 upon the hcauties of Paradise, be led to ex- 

 claim in the lajiguage of Milton — 



•• These are tbv glorious works, Parent of good. 

 Almighty ! Thine this uni%'ersal frame. 

 Thus wondrous fiiir; Thyselfhow wondrous then 

 Unspeakable, who sitt's"t above these heavens 

 To us invisible, or dimly seen 

 In these thy lowest works ; yet these declare 

 Thy soodness beyond thought, and power 

 divine." 



Kings and potentates have often pre- 

 ferred the quiet enjoyments of i-ural life to 

 the grandeur of regal state. The beautiful 

 Median queen of Nebuchadnezzar, when re- 

 moved from her native hills to the plains 

 of Babylon, could not reconcile hei-self to 

 the change. To assuage her grief, her 

 liusband constructed that curious hanging 

 garden on terraces which was accounted 

 as one of the seven wonders of the world. 



We are informed by Josephus, the Jewish 

 historian, that King Solomon frequently 

 retired to his garden at Etham, about six 

 miles from Jerusalem; that in these visits 

 the monarch was usually seated on a high 

 and magnificent chariot, clothed in white 

 and glistening raiment ; and that nothing 

 might be wanted to add to his princely state 

 he was attended by his hody guard of six 

 thousand horsemen, selected for their noble 

 stature, youth, and beauty. That the 

 long and flowing hair of each horseman 

 was sprinkled over with gold dust, which 

 sparkled in the rays of the sun. Here, 

 amid his groves, orchards, fish-pools, and 

 fountains, the great king had an ample op- 

 portunity of studying the works of Nature ; 

 for he was equally conversant with the 

 animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. 

 The majesty of Solomon far exceeded in 

 pomp that of all other princes, yet our 

 Blessed Redeemer hids us " Behold the 

 lilies of the field, how they grow : they toil 

 not, neither do they spin ; and yet I say 

 ixnto you, that Solomon, in all his glory, 

 Avas not arrayed like one of these." 



The great Cyrus delighted in the study 

 of flowers. "I have measured, dug, and 

 planted, the large garden which I have at 

 the Gate of Babylon," said that prince, 

 " and never, when my health permits, do I 

 dine till I have laboured two hoitrs in my 

 garden." A nohle example truly ! 



The gardens of Alcinous have heen im- 

 mortalized by Homer in his Odyssej' — 



" Oft for these shades where Nature reigns alone, 

 ■\Vould great Alcinous quit his regal throne ; 



And mid these scenes, whose beauties could 



inspire 

 The misfhty father of the Grecian lyre ; 

 Nor still the monarch, nor the muse they wrong. 

 But smile in Nature, as they bloom in song." 



The noble-minded Garibaldi, Dictator 

 of Italy, after giving liberty to his belovrd 

 country, retired amid tlie plaudits of the 

 world, to cultivate his small farm at 

 Caprera. 



Our gracious sovereign Queen Victoria, 

 when weary with the affairs of state, and 

 the pageantry of the court, retires for a 

 season to her domestic home in the Isle of 

 Wight, or seeks a still greater seclusion at 

 Balmoral, amid the mountain solitudes of 

 Scotland. The phiasure which lier beloved 

 consort, Prince Albert, takes in agricultural 

 pursuits, and the enjoyments of a country 

 life, is patent to all. 



History gives us several instances of 

 men who have with great reluctance left 

 the occupation and quiet enjoyment of rural 

 life, to ascend a throne, and rule over king- 

 doms. When Alexander the Great con- 

 ferred the Sidonian kingdom on Abdolony- 

 mus, he left his lowly cottage with regret — 



"Th' ambassadors which the great Emperor sent, 

 To ofTer him a crown, with wonder found 

 The reverend gardener hoeing of bis ground. 

 Unwillingly, and slow, and discontent. 

 From his loved cottige to a throne he went; 

 And oft he stopt in his triumphant way, 

 And oft look'd back, and oft was heard to say. 

 Not without sighs, Alas ! I there forsake 

 A happier kingdom than I go to take." 



Nnma, who laid the foundation of the 

 great lioman Empire, was with much dif- 

 ficulty persuaded to quit the country for 

 the ro3'al pomp of Rome. 



The Emperor Dioclesian, preferred his 

 garden to a throne— 



" Methinks I see great Dioclesian walk 

 In the Salonian garden's noble shade. 

 Which by his own imperial hands was made. 

 I see him smile, melhinks, as he does talk 

 With the ambassadors, who come in vain 

 T' entice him to a throne again. — 

 ' If I, my friends,' said he, ' should to you show 

 All the delights which in these gardens grow, 

 'Tis likelier far that you with me should stay. 

 Than 'tis that you should carry me away ; 

 And trust me not, my friends, if, every day, 

 I walk not here with more delight. 

 Than ever, after the most happy fight. 

 In triumph to the capital I rode, 

 To thank the gods, and to be thought myself 

 almost a god."' 



The great master minds of all ages 

 have united their testimony in praise of the 

 divine glory of the country. In the city 

 we see only the works of man, but in the 

 country the works of God. Cicero, who 

 lived amongst all the pomp of Rome, ac- 

 knowledges the pleasure he received from 

 the sublime scenes of Nature. Pliny was 

 never so happy as in the quietude of his 



