THE HEDGE-BANK. 45 



the intervention, I mean, of branches. They are 

 shaped somewhat like the barbs of an arrow at 

 the base, and terminate in a point. From the 

 midst of these rises a long, green, cylindrical bud, 

 shaped somewhat like the handle of a skipping- 

 rope, though scarcely as large. Carefully unrol 

 the leafy sheath which constitutes its outer cover- 

 ing, and you will find that it encloses either a 

 delicate pink or a rich crimson pillar, tapering at 

 the base and rounded at the summit, surrounded 

 underneath by several rows of pink and white 

 beading, the whole being as elegant in form as it 

 is brilliant in colouring. Long before I knew 

 whether this was to be considered as the flower 

 or fruit of the plant, I have amused myself with 

 collecting large numbers of them, and carrying 

 them home with me, for the purpose of unrolling 

 their cases, and sorting them into " Lords and 

 Ladies," the former being those brighter in co- 

 lour and more robust, the latter the more delicate. 

 There is, indeed, no real difference between them, 

 and the amusement was a childish one ; but if it 

 was childish, it was also innocent, and I think that 

 I can discover in the curiosity which then led me 

 to gather and unrol the buds of the Cuckoo-pint, 

 or in the pleasure which I felt in gathering a 

 hatful of daisies and butter-cups, the desire which 

 I believe to be implanted by God in the hearts of 

 all men, to inquire into and understand something 

 of the works of nature. 



All children love flowers ; and, if all men and 

 women cultivated the same love of a study, of 

 which, be it remembered, God has taught them 

 the first lesson, they would not only have an inno- 

 cent and healthy recreation always within their 



