286 IN A GLOUCESTERSHIRE GARDEN 



a statement of the relationship existing between all 

 parts of nature, or, as Wallace puts it 



* The forces of life appear to be fundamentally the same for 

 all organisms, as is the material of which all are constructed ; 

 and we thus find behind the outer diversities an inner relation- 

 ship which binds together the myriad forms of life. Each 

 species of animal or plant thus forms part of one harmonious 

 whole.' Darwinism, c. xi. 



Wordsworth felt this very strongly, affirming that 

 flowers laughed, and showed gladness or sorrow as 

 much as he did himself. Longfellow had the same 

 feeling, and, speaking of 'the stars of earth, those 

 golden flowers,' he said 



* In all places then and in all seasons 



Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings, 

 Teaching us by most persuasive reasons 

 How akin they are to human things.' 



Many will find it difficult to realise this ; but I think 

 all who love flowers and live much amongst them have 

 felt how flowers seem to sympathise with their own 

 feelings, how different they look when all is bright and 

 happy to what they look when sorrow and trouble are 

 upon us, and I think that the old bell motto is really 

 true of flowers, 'Gaudemus gaudentibus, dolemus 

 dolentibus.' 



But I must leave this subject, only thus touching its 



