XII. CORA AND KRONOS. 213 



the root and branch intricacy of closest knowledge and 

 fellowship. 



14. I have said that Milton has told us more in these 

 few lines than any botanist could. I will prove my say- 

 ing by placing in comparison with them two passages of 

 description by the most imaginative and generally well- 

 trained scientific man since Linnaeus Hiimboldt which, 

 containing much that is at this moment of special use to 

 us, are curious also in the confusion even of the two 

 orders of annual and perennial plants, and show, there- 

 fore, the extreme need of most careful initial work in 

 this distinction of the reign of Cora from that of Kronos. 



" The disk of the setting sun appeared like a globe of 

 fire suspended over the savannah ; and its last rays, as 

 they swept the earth, illumined the extremities of the 

 grass, strongly agitated by the evening breeze. In the 

 low and humid places of the equinoxial zone, even when 

 the gramineous plants and reeds present the aspect of a 

 meadow, of turf, a rich decoration of the picture is 

 usually wanting. I mean that variety of wild flowers 

 which, scarcely rising above the grass, seem to lie upon a 

 smooth bed of verdure. Between the tropics, the 

 strength and luxury of vegetation give such a develop- 

 ment to plants, that the smallest of the dicotyledonous 

 family become shrubs.* It would seem as if the liliace- 



* I do not see what this can mean. Primroses and cowslips can't 

 become shrubs ; nor can violets, nor daisies, nor any other of our pet 

 meadow flowers. 



