MY FRIEND THE ANDROMEDA. 313 



consideration. May we not, in its humble sphere of life, 

 plead a similar claim for the tree ? Every member of the 

 lawn affords us a more profound and lasting impression, 

 viewed from this seemingly fanciful standpoint of so-called 

 personal sympathy, than if we keep ourselves resolutely 

 realistic in our feelings. I assure you, gentle reader, results 

 will prove that the encouragement of these scientifically 

 inaccurate vagaries of the imagination is neither bad for 

 the tree nor the man, nor even for science. My thoughts are 

 disporting themselves somewhat after this manner to-day, 

 while my attention rests musingly on a lovely specimen 

 of an Andromeda a?'borea, known also as Ovcydendrum 

 arboreum, or sorrel tree. The October sun and air enrich 

 and strengthen its tints and outline, and, in more than one 

 way, its beauty arouses the most palpable feelings of 

 pleasure. 



To most observers, indeed, it may be only a bright-leaved 

 tree ; but to me as I look at it, come still fairer images and 

 associations. I remember many a morning before this one 

 when I have looked with pleasure on this tree. Last sum- 

 mer, in July, and August even, I used to enjoy its white- 

 tasselled flowers, bending and delicately graceful as those of 

 any hot-house plant. I insisted then on pointing it out to 

 my friends with, perhaps, what they felt to be the mere 

 pride of ownership ; and was wont to declare that here was a 

 tree that not only bore lovely flowers, when scarcely another 

 tree was so adorned, but that also proved good in color and 

 attractive in form throughout the season. One of the few 

 plants that neither paled its shining green nor lost its firm- 

 ness of leaf texture from May to October. 



