288 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



" Sharp violins proclaim 

 Their jealous pangs and desperation," 



in unison with his own ? Let him be prepared for 

 either issue. Let him anticipate defeat, as being 

 but a recruit and pupil ; but let him remember, 

 when defeated, that more than one great states- 

 man has been plucked for ''Smalls'' — more than 

 one great general has lost his first battle — more 

 than one Royal Academician has had his first 

 picture declined by the hanging-committee. Some 

 faint-hearted candidates for fame never overcome 

 a first discouragement. Entering an exhibition of 

 flowers and fruit at Lincoln some years ago, I met 

 a clerical friend, who informed me confidentially 

 that, if I desired to know what a melon ought to 

 be, he would forthwith gratify the wish. Beaming 

 with complacent smiles, he led me to the place of 

 melons ; but when we reached it, his countenance 

 fell. The weather was intensely hot, and the 

 thirsty judges had obeyed implicitly the directions 

 of the schedule, that the merits of the fruit were 

 to be decided by flavor. Half of my friend's 

 melon had gone the way of all flesh (fruit), and a 

 card, resting upon the remainder, thus announced 

 the verdict of the censors : 



Fourth Prize, 



IS. 



