EUCALYPTUS TREES, 129 
The laurel crown of the hero was a people’s high- 
est reward of chivalrous and glorious deeds, 
The myrtle or orange-wreath for bridal curls re- 
mains the proudest gift to youthful hope. 
The little blooming weed, content in a parched and 
dreary desert, revived the strength of many a sinking 
wanderer (Mungo Park); the ever unalterable beauty 
and harmony of moral structures preaches the truths 
of eternal laws in the universe —a faith that gave 
expression to Schiller’s memorable words, as repeated 
by that leading British statesman, Gladstone: ‘It’s 
not all chance the world obeys.’’? The innocent love- 
liness of nature’s flowers has often aroused anew the 
shaken spirit of the philosopher, and to these and 
other gifts of nature the American bard alludes when 
he speaks of the great zoologist, Agassiz, of whose 
friendship I may well be proud : 
‘* And whenever the way seemed so long, 
Or bis heart began him to fail, 
She would sing a still more wondrous song, 
Or tell a more marvellous tale.”’ 
And when it seems that all hopes of the weeping 
mother are extinguished, or even the teachings of 
religion may well-nigh forsake her, then the deep 
meaning of some of our noblest poems, inspired by 
nature, is understood, and faith in eternity once more 
embraced. 
‘* And the mother gave in tear and pain 
The flowers she most did love ; 
, 
She knew she would find them all again 
In the fields of light above.” 
* ‘* And with childlike credulous affection 
We behold their tender bud expand— 
Emblems of our own resurrection 
Emblems of the bright and better Jand,’”' 
