210 THE FLORIST. 



by, the leading idea of the whole flower, admit, with manifest advan- 

 tage, departures from perfect forms, which would be intolerable in the 

 general one. Thus the eye of a Pansy, if clear and not confused, is 

 striking in proportion as it is made up of bold dashes and abrupt 

 contrasts, presenting an uneven outline, which, if found in the flower 

 which contains the eye, would condemn it to the dunghill. 



These and other similar instances, presenting at first a difficulty 

 to reconcile them with rule and reduce them to order, are, in fact, no 

 exceptions. They are examples of what our experience in every thing 

 is full of, that as in the material world every particle of matter is 

 under the influence of an infinity of attractions on every side, the 

 amount of each of which is nevertheless subject to an invariable law, 

 and therefore the inclination of the particle towards any is reducible 

 to the strictest scientific investigation ; so, in the intellectual world, 

 what are commonly supposed to be exceptions, are, in reality, only 

 instances of the things coming within the superior influence of some 

 other rule. Every rule is paramount in its own little circle ; but 

 that circle is in every case very small, because there are other rules 

 on the subject which have an equal claim to be obeyed in their place, 

 the interfering influences of which must have their due weight allowed 

 to them. 



It is a great mistake, and dishonourable to God as well as to 

 ourselves, indolently to rest satisfied with calling so many things 

 " exceptions," as we are in the habit of doing. An exception is, 

 for the most part, only an expression of our ignorance. Real 

 exceptions are much rarer than they are supposed to be. Our 

 minds were made for order ; and however our habits may seem 

 to contradict the assertion, it is still a fact bearing evidence of 

 our high original and destination that disorder is unnatural to us. 

 And this may be seen, not only in the natural preference always 

 in the long-run shewn for scientifically perfect forms, but also in 

 the mode in which we unconsciously form our judgments of them. 

 Thus, in examining a flower, we may not be aware of the fact, 

 but it is not the less true, that we proceed according to strict 

 rule and method. First, we obtain a leading idea, excited by the 

 whole, as made up of and containing its parts. Next, we begin to 

 separate those parts into their respective groups ; and as our exami- 

 nation is extended or repeated, subdividing those again into their 

 more elementary units. And as we become more familiar, and better 

 acquainted with the object of examination, this process is reviewed 

 and altered, and the divisions and subdivisions recast into other group- 

 ings arising out of, or suggesting, new and other ideas. So that we 

 may often perceive, as we contemplate a flower, new ideas and asso- 

 ciations arising in our minds, and actually, as it were, changing its 

 appearance in our eyes, and altering our judgment of it. Hence an 

 extended familiarity with any flower is necessary before its charac- 

 teristic points will be discovered, and its most natural divisions and 

 peculiarities definitively settled. But when this process has been 

 sufficiently gone through, the judgm nt will in most cases be found 

 to be in accordance with nature, and will be generally acquiesced in. 



