94 A BOOK ABOUT THE GARDEN. 



our worthy Curate. And, having this trust as my 

 encouragement, I go on joyously to chronicle our 

 proceedings, and follow up my introduction with a 

 cordial invite that you, my reader, will join us, in 

 imagination and sympathy, as we sit in synod, and 

 will listen leniently to our discursive colloquies. 



Be with us, therefore, in those "long nights of 

 winter, when the cold north winds blow ; " chair thy- 

 self comfortably by our hebdomadal board within the 

 pleasant influence of our glowing fire; charge thy 

 calumet with the soothing weed, and thy crystal with 

 golden wine from " the bright and laughing barley ; " 

 while throned on the tiny clouds above us, that sweet 

 little fairy, Queen Fancy, smiles upon our cheerful 

 convocation ; and as she waves her magic wand 



"Again the garden glows, 

 And fills the liberal air ; " 



again our beds and borders (hard-frozen in reality 

 without and hidden by the snow) brighten in their 

 summer sheen ; again every greenhouse stage bears 

 its precious freight of loveliness ; again we see our 

 exhibition vans drawn up at the garden-gate, and 

 borne delicately, as though we carried some sleeping 

 beauty whom we feared to wake, the specimen plants 

 so long, so fondly tended, come forth to witch the 

 world ; again we await in anxious suspense, during 

 two hours, which seem a fortnight, the departure of 

 the censors, and the opening of the doors ; again we 

 draw nigh to our favourites, pretending indifference, 

 and trying to saunter, but painfully eager in our 

 fluttering hearts to know what award has been made 



