54: HISTORY OF BRITISH ZOOPHYTES. 
Botany, however delightful and instructive, is, that it shows 
us more of the goodness of God. Flowers are like the stars 
of the earth, that show forth his glory; they are also the 
beautiful garniture of the earth as our habitation, and they 
proclaim also the coming of all manner of pleasant fruits. 
In the words of the Song of Songs we may say, “ Come, 
my beloved, let us go forth into the fields; let us get up 
early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine flourish, whether 
the tender grapes appear, whether the pomegranates bud 
forth, and the mandrakes give a smell.” But im the very 
lowest department of Zoology we deal with things that have 
life. The dexterous hand of man can form flowers so like 
to nature, that many would not discover that they are arti- 
ficial. Mignionette was so natural-looking in the Great 
Exhibition, that we were told that a noble duke caused 
the shade to be removed, to be convinced by its want of 
fragrance, that it was not in truth the Frenchman’s darling. 
But who of earthly mould could give life and voluntary 
motion to the smallest creature? This is God’s doing, and 
it is marvellous in our eyes. We would not say, as some 
have done, that God is maximus in mimimis—greatest in 
the smallest things ;—for without controversy He is greatest 
in the great mystery of godliness—in the greatest of all 
