32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND 



exhibition. I did not intend to do it, but when the 

 day came, my wife No ! my Phanerogyne this 

 name suits me ; it is more sympathetic, more euphonic 

 to me. Because it is Greek and of your own coining, 

 you will say. No ! it is not that ; mother and father- 

 are not entirely Greek and yet 1 somewhat like these 

 expressions better than the equivalents of my maternal 

 tongue, mere and pere. It seems to me there is more 

 sentiment in the English my mother ! my father ! are 

 so full of euphony, of fluidity from the heart ! I hope 

 you will absolve me once more for that overstretched 

 parenthesis. It was necessary to let you know my 

 feelings! My Phanerogyne I was saying, was with 

 me when Messrs. Hogg hinted to me the possibility of 

 an exhibition and heard my jocose answer. She asked 

 me are you not going to that exhibition ? I answered 

 no, I have too much to do, besides I have nothing in 

 bloom, and no foliage plants as to-day, no palms. 

 " Well," said she, " if you do not go they will say that 

 you are a vain boaster, with your fears of distancing 

 them, etc. You ought to go. If it is only for my sake, 

 do go 1" I answered, " well I will, but without 

 plants." " But it is precisely the plants which must 

 go. They can do without you, but they want to see 

 your plants." " Well, to please you I will try." So 

 I went to look over my stock, which was not quite so 

 large as that of Messrs. Pitcher & Manda to-day. I 



