DEGREES OF THE ORDER SYMBOLIZED. 119 



side, fruits. The entrance to it is known only to those 

 within. In it are winding paths, leading to bowers shaded 

 by beautiful climbing plants. The most lovely flowers, 

 gathered from every clime, grow, singly or in masses, every 

 where, while foliage, plants and rare exotics are interspersed 

 by the master minds who have labored to make it beautiful. 

 A grassy slope, of the softest and smoothest turf, stretches 

 away to a calm lake of pure water in the distance. In the 

 lake is an island, reached by a rustic bridge. Upon the 

 island are trees from every quarter of the globe, among 

 whose branches song-birds nestle, while aquatic fowl are 

 ever busy on the clear lake. A winding path from the 

 bridge leads to a bower, formed by the interlacing branches 

 of trees, over which climbing roses, honeysuckles, ivies, 

 passion flowers, and trum^t vines are trailing in beautiful 

 masses. The delicate perfume of flowers, the gentle breezes, 

 cooled by ever-playing fountains, and birds of sweetest song 

 or loveliest plumage, make this bower the fit court for the 

 Goddess Flora, or Charity. 



To the novice, upon entering, all seems enchantment. 

 His perception has been rendered acute in the outer fields, 

 and in the Orchard he has enjoyed the fruits of his labor. 

 In the Garden the work is both for the true and the beau 

 tiful. The worker here must not only reflect upon the lines 

 of beauty drawn throughout the garden, but must study the 

 effect produced by ever- varying light and shade, the group 

 ing of trees, the masses and lines of flowers, the emerald 

 hue of the grassy turf, the gentle slope, the abrupt ascent, 

 or the beetling cliff&quot; overhanging the torrent that dashes its 

 waters over the rocky bed beneath, only, at last, to find rest 

 in the glassy and peaceful lake beyond. As the Husband 

 man has studied the groundwork of his profession in the 

 Field of Art ; and in the Orchard of Hope has gathered thq 



