LETTERS TO BKuTIIEK JOHV. 189 



withdrawn it from its natural sphere I have broken 

 its natural relation to surrounding- objects I have 

 thrown it in the fire, and exposed it to a shower of 

 rain and, behold ! it crumbles into dust. 



Here is a "winking Mary-bud": had I left it 

 in the field whence I abstracted it, it would have 

 gone on winking as prettily as any Mary-bud of 

 them all: but I have planted it in tallow, and, 

 watered it with ink, (never mind the bull,) and 

 behold, it is dead ! Poor flower ! How piteously 

 thou look'st dropping ink, instead of dew, upon 

 thy greasy bed ! I would not serve another so, to 

 enlighten the darkness of fifty brother Johns ! 



Here is a watch: I wear it in my fob I place 

 it beneath my pillow, or in my bed-room watch- 

 pocket and it never fails to indicate the time. 

 But if I attach it to a mill-sail, or conceal it in an 

 oven, or bury it in an iceberg, what sort of time 

 will it keep?" 



Go visit the Zoological Gardens observe the 

 extreme care which is found necessary, in order to 

 keep the animals in health. And in what does this 

 care consist ? Manifestly, in approximating their 

 present circumstances, as nearly as possible, to the 

 circumstances in which nature intended them to 

 live. Yet, with all their care and extreme atten- 



