AGRIMONY. 



and these bowls were made of beech, a wood which suits the 

 craft of the turner, and affords great faciUties to the carver. 



This elegant model for the artist has become the emblem 

 of the Arts. It may also be regarded as the emblem of 

 genius, for if any obstacle opposes the growth of the Acan- 

 thus, we see that it yields, and, turning aside its forces, 

 vegetates anew with fresh vigour ; so genius raises itself and 

 grows by the very difficulties which it cannot subdue. It 

 seems to say, as if in the very words of a remarkable bishop 

 of one of our antipodean dioceses, " I do not know what 

 failure means." 



AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Etipatoria).—G^Ki:YYVV>Y.. 



Perhaps nothing is more uncertain than the orthography 

 of names of plants in colloquial language, especially in the 

 transposition of the letter r. The name argemon {ap'yefxov) 

 was assigned by Greek physicians to a plant supposed to be a 

 cure for a single white speck on the cornea and sclerotic coat 

 of the eye ; and botanists regard this as the same plant, or 

 its best representative. By placing the r after the g we have 

 the modern name, and it would appear that some etymologist 

 among our continental neighbours supposed the word to be 

 equivalent to the " Country Nun," whence its common name 

 in France is, Religieuse des Champs. 



The flowers of the Agrimony are campanulate, of a deli- 

 cate yellow hue, suspended from the stalk like so many little ^ 

 bells. A French authoress, Madame de Chasteney by name, I 



