6o 



PROSERPINA. 



faint that we cannot take it for a type of verte- 

 brate structure. But the two figures of elm and 

 alisma leaf, given in " Modern Painters " (vol. iii.), and 

 now here repeated, Fig. 3, will clearly enough show 

 the opposition between this vertebrate form, branch- 

 ing again usually at the edges, a, and the softly 

 opening lines diffused at the stem, and gathered 

 at the point of the leaf, b, which, as you almost 



a Fig. 3. 



without doubt know already, are characteristic of a 

 vast group of plants, including especially all the 

 lilies, grasses, and palms, which for the most part 

 are the signs of local or temporary moisture in 

 hot countries ; — local, as of fountains and streams ; 

 temporary, as of rain or inundation. 



But temporary, still more definitely in the day, 

 than in the year. When you go out, delighted, into 



