1 68 PROSERPINA. 



(A), in its first birth to us : the stem of stems ; 

 the one of which we pray that it may bear our 

 daily bread. The seed has fallen in the ground 

 with the springing germ of it downwards ; with 

 heavenly cunning the taught stem curls round, and 

 seeks the never-seen light. Veritable ' conversion,' 

 miraculous, called of God. And here is the oat 

 germ, (B) — after the wheat, most vital of divine 

 gifts ; and assuredly, in days to come, fated to 

 grow on many a naked rock in hitherto lifeless 

 lands, over which the glancing sheaves of it will 

 shake sweet treasure of innocent gold. 



And who shall tell us how they grow ; and the 

 fashion of their rustling pillars — bent, and again 

 erect, at every breeze. Fluted shaft or clustered 

 pier, how poor of art, beside this grass-shaft — 

 built, first to sustain the food of men, then to be 

 strewn under their feet ! 



We must not stay to think of it, yet, or we shall 

 get no farther till harvest has come and gone again. 

 And having our names of stems now determined 

 enough, we must in next chapter try a little to 

 understand the different kinds of them. 



