CONVERSATION IV. 



Uncle Philij) tells the Boys and Girls about 

 Magnolias and Laurels^ and other heaiiti- 

 fiil Trees ; and shows them ivhy they ought 

 to he gratefid to God for such Trees, al- 

 though they are not useful, as tuell as for 

 Oaks and Maj)les. 



We come now, my dears, to a useless but 

 very beautiful class, that has long been fa- 

 mous for the elegance of its flowers, and 

 the magnificence of its foliage. The mag- 

 nolia has been called the pride of the southern 

 forests, and if beauty alone could establish its 

 claim, there would be no tree to dispute with 

 it for the title ; but usefulness is more prized 

 than what merely pleases the eye, and the 

 oak, the pine, the maple, and various othei 

 trees, plain as they are in comparison, are 

 much more esteemed for their services than 

 the splendid magnolia with all its loveliness." 



" Ah, that is like the story of the tiger and 



