TEMPTATION 



bulbs and blossoms, tubers and saxifrages, clumps and 

 climbers/ not to speak of such prosaic but necessary 

 accompaniments as loam, manures, lawn-mixtures and 

 " vaporisers." She would build at least two new green- 

 houses and double her garden staff. And perhaps after 

 all she wouldn't be half as happy as she is. For she 

 might be led into " named novelties/' and garden rivalries, 

 and splendours of artificial rockeries where in the centre 

 of vast beds of slag some microscopic curiosity no larger 

 than a spider would spread a fairy claw in the shadow of 

 a monstrous label. Perhaps she might be bitten with an 

 unwholesome passion for Orchids, and spend the portion 

 of her only child, and all the fur grandchildren, on the 

 devilish attractions of those plants which are, we are con- 

 vinced, flowers of evil. 



Just now her last extravagance has been to order three 

 and six worth of White Honesty at ninepence a dozen, 

 to plant in among the new Rhododendrons / and she is 

 suffused with satisfaction at the prospect of anything so 

 cheap and charming. We recommend the effect, dis- 

 covered quite accidentally. 



We have really abominable weather. It is very unusual. 



" Oh, to be in England, 

 Now that April's there ! " 



is an aspiration justified as a rule by a tender interlude 

 between the tantrums of March and the asperities of 

 May. Last year April came in skipping like a kid on the 

 Campagna, even its freakishness full of attraction. Is 



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