14 BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 



Alas! she was to go to the grave herself soon, and a weeping 

 brother was to say — 



Lay her i' the earth, 



And from her fair and unpolluted flesh 

 May violets springe. 



But leaving these things, which perhaps are trivial, let us take note 

 how green things have mingled their voices and teachings with the 

 life of man. Upon the grassy prairies of the olden time, the untamed 

 races chased the deer and boar ; within the umbrage of primeval 

 woods they learnt the first lessons of a simple creed, and upon altars 

 of green herbs offered their first sacrifice. Nature was still educating 

 the Man, lifting up his heart to heaven by the splendours of noon and 

 sunset, and filling him with gratitude to the Author of all Good, by 

 the promises of fertile fields, the exuberance of fruitful jungles, and 

 the enamelled poetry of wood and hill side. 



In after times, the grassy herbage was still dear to men, and upon 

 the green floor of the wilderness they made their orisons to the morn- 

 ing star, and chanted their hosannahs to the rising sun, regarding the 

 golden orb as the visible emblem of the Eternal. The green grass 

 was the first altar, and the brown forest with its roof of sky the first 

 temple. The Druids walked in solemn procession over the dewy 

 sward of the forest, when, with shouts of joy and wild songs of glad- 

 ness, they assembled to commemorate the egress of the ark. Then 

 the caves were festooned with garlands ; an altar was built of grasses 

 and vine-leaves ; the crystal cups of honey were twined with clusters 

 of wild blossoms ; the trees were festooned with flowers ; and citterns, 

 emblematical of the sun-god, were hung among the garlands. Then 

 in the twilight recesses the priests performed the mystic dance, and 

 as the May smile of morning broke upon the hills and fields, the 

 hymns of the May-women were whispered in wild melodies, and the 

 invocation to May was performed upon the green. The cattle lowed 

 in the meadows, the birds sang in the valleys, and the sun, pillowed 

 on the clouds of heaven, flushed the fountains and- the forests with his 

 golden fire. The multitude fell prostrate on the grass. The priests 

 bowed to the pavilion of celestial glory ; and with one accord the 

 throngs of worshippers broke forth into a rapturous hymn of praise, 

 pouring out the incense of their hearts in harmony with the odorous 



