8 INTRODUCTION. 



lay before us, and even a flower could borrow most 

 brilliant colors from the imagination. Who does not 

 recall with pleasure 



" The flowers, the many flowers 



That all along the smiling valley grew, 

 While the sun lay for hours 



Kissing from ofi" their drooping lids the dew." 

 Oh ! there is something in such remembrances that 

 even in hours of depression and sorrow, can brighten 

 the dim eye and ease the wearied mind, bringing a fund 

 of innocent and pure enjoyment. Flowers are types 

 of our brightest hopes, they are emblems of joy, they 

 have been even called " the alphabet of angels." And 

 the harmony of their colors, the variety of their forms, 

 the profusion with which they are scattered over 

 every solitary place, make us consider them as fragrant 

 gems of the earth, beautiful ministers of winged and 

 spiritual thoughts. In the language of poetry, they 

 are called by one of our American poets Professor 

 Longfellow, 



" The flowers, so blue and golden. 



Stabs, that in Earth's firmament do shine. 



"Wondrous truths, and manifold as wondrous, 

 God hath written in those stars above ; 

 But not less in the bright flowerets under us, 

 Stands the revelation of his love. 



