FLOWERS AND FOLKS. 209 



assistance. They are recognized afar as 

 persons to be let alone. Yet they, too, like 

 their floral representatives, have a good side. 

 If they do not give help, they seldom ask it. 

 Once a year they may actually "do a hand- 

 some thing," as the common expression is; 

 but they cannot put off their own nature ; 

 their very generosity pricks the hand that 

 receives it, and when old Time cuts them 

 down with his scythe (what should we do 

 without this famous husbandman, unkindly 

 as we talk of him?) there will be no great 

 mourning. 



Is it then an unpardonable misdemeanor 

 for a plant to defend itself against attack 

 and extermination? Has the duty of non- 

 resistance no exceptions nor abatements in 

 the vegetable kingdom? That would be in- 

 deed a hard saying ; for what would become 

 of our universal favorite, the rose ? On this 

 point there may be room for a diversity of 

 opinion ; but for one, I cannot wish the wild 

 rose disarmed, lest, through the recklessness 

 of its admirers, what is now one of the com- 

 monest of our wayside ornaments should 

 grow to be a rarity. I esteem the rose a 

 patrician, and fairly entitled to patrician 



