46 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



Roses, Maroon Roses, Purple Roses, Roses almost 

 Black, and Roses of a glowing gold. What a 

 diversity, and yet what harmony, of outline ! 

 Dwarf Roses and Climbing Roses, Roses closely 

 carpeting the ground, Roses that droop in snowy 

 foam like fountains, and Roses that stretch out 

 their branches upwards as though they would kiss 

 the sun ; Roses ** in shape no bigger than an agate- 

 stone on the forefinger of an alderman," and 

 Roses 4 inches across; Roses in clusters, and 

 Roses blooming singly ; Roses in bud, in their 

 glory, decline, and fall. And yet all these glow- 

 ing tints not only combine, but educe and enhance 

 each the other's beauty. All these variations of 

 individual form and general outline blend with a 

 mutual grace. And over all this perfect unity 

 what a freshness, fragrance, purity, splendor ! 

 They blush, they gleam amid their glossy leaves, 

 and 



" Never sure, since high in Paradise, 

 By the four rivers, the first Roses blew," 



hath eye seen fairer sight. Linnaeus wept when he 

 came suddenly upon a wild expanse of golden 

 furze ; and he is no true florist who has never felt 

 the springs of his heart troubled, surging, over- 

 flowing, as he looked on such a scene of beauty as 



