I. VIOLA. 27 



creatures) do very solemnly beg my readers to meditate ; 

 namely, that although not recognized by actual offensive- 

 ne?s of scent, there is no space of neglected land which 

 is not in some way modifying the atmosphere of all the 

 world, it may be, beneficently, as heath and pine, it 

 may be, malignantly, as Pontine marsh or Brazilian 

 jungle ; but, in one way or another, for good and evil 

 constantly, by day and night, the various powers of life 

 and death in the plants of the desert are poured into the 

 air, as vials of continual angels : and that no words, no 

 thoughts can measure, nor imagination follow, the possi- 

 ble change for good which energetic and tender care of 

 the wild herbs of the field and trees of the wood might 

 bring, in time, to the bodily pleasure and mental power 

 of Man. 



32. II. VIOLA PSYCHE. Ophelia's Pansy. 



The wild heart's-ease of Europe ; its proper colour an 

 exquisitely clear purple in the upper petals, gradated 

 into deep blue in the lower ones ; the centre, gold. Not 

 larger than a violet, but perfectly formed, and firmly set 

 in all its petals. Able to live in the driest ground ; 

 beautiful in the coast sand-hills of Cumberland, follow- 

 ing the wild geranium and burnet rose : and distin- 

 guished thus by its power of life, in waste and dry 

 places, from the violet, which needs kindly earth and 

 shelter. 



Quite one of the most lovely things that Heaven has 

 made, and only degraded and distorted by any human 



