III. THE LEAF. 59 



formed, richly scented or stored, — you have nearly 

 always kindly and lovely vegetation, in healthy 

 ground and air. 



21. The gradual diminution in rank beneath the 

 Apolline leaf, takes place in others by the loss of one 

 or more of the qualities above named. The Apolline 

 leaf, I said, is strong, lustrous, full in its green, 

 rich in substance, simple in form. The inferior 

 leaves are those which have lost strength, and 

 become thin, like paper ; which have lost lustre, 

 and become dead by roughness of surface, like the 

 'nettle, — (an Apolline leaf may become dead by 

 bloom, like the olive, yet not lose beauty) ; which 

 have lost colour, and become feeble in green, as 

 in the poplar, or crudely bright, like rice ; which 

 have lost substance and softness, and have nothing 

 to give in scent or nourishment ; or become flinty 

 or spiny ; finally, which have lost simplicity, and 

 become cloven or jagged. Many of these losses 

 are partly atoned for by gain of some peculiar 

 loveliness. Grass and moss, and parsley and fern, 

 have each their own delightfulness ; yet they are 

 all of inferior power and honour, compared to the 

 Apolline leaves. 



22. You see, however, that though your laurel 

 leaf has a central stem, and traces of ribs branch- 

 ing from it, in a vertebrated manner, they are so 



