FLORA'S LEXICON. 



83 



ERN. Filicia. Class 24, CRYPTOGAMIA. 

 Order : FIRST OF THIS CLASS. Fern often 

 affords an agreeable seat to lovers; its 

 ashes are used in the manufacture of glasses 

 for the convivial party ; and all the world 

 knows that love and wine make men sin- 

 cere. 



SINCERITY. 



The green and graceful Fern, 



How beautiful it is ! 

 There's not a leaf in all the land 



So wonderful, I wis. 



Have ye ever watch'd it budding, 



With each stem and leaf wrapp'd small, 



Coiled up within each other 

 Like a round and hairy ball 7 



Have ye watch'd that ball unfolding 



Each closely nestling curl, 

 And its fair and feathery leaflets 



Their spreading forms unfurl 1 



Oh ! then most gracefully they wave 



In the forest, like a sea, 

 And dear as they are beautiful 



Are these Fern leaves to me. 



For all of early childhood 



Those past and blessed years 

 To which we ever wistfully 



Look back through memory's tears 



The sports and fancies then my own, 

 Those Fern leaves dear and wild 



Bring back to my delighted breast 

 I am once more a child. 



TWAMLEY. 



