THISTLES. 179 



Thistle group is the one most suggestive in its characteristics. 

 It is a constant memento of the sin of our first parents, on 

 account of which fell the curse, "Thorns also and Thistles 

 shall it bring forth." Amaziah, in his foolish temerity in 

 thrusting a quarrel upon Jehoash, is contemptuously compared 

 to a Thistle : " The Thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the 

 Cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my 

 son to wife ; and there passed by a wild beast that was in 

 Lebanon, and trod down the Thistle." As at once a sign of idle 

 husbandry, and a type of idleness itself the Thistle is disliked 

 on all sides. The children's poet points a warning with it : 



"I passed by his garden, and saw the wild Briar , 

 The Thorn and the Thistle grew stronger and higher." 



Nor is the floating seed of the Thistle without its voice of 

 instruction. Ever ready to fall on unoccupied ground, and fill 

 with evil that which before was only guilty of emptiness, it is 

 a type of sin and evil practice, as Mr. Howitt teaches us : 



" Lightly soars the Thistledown ; 



Lightly doth it float; 

 Lightly seeds of care are sown, 

 Little do we note. 



' Lightly floats the Thistledown ; 



Far and wide it flies ; 

 By the faintest zephyrs blown 

 Through the summer skies, 



" Watch life's Thistles bud and blow, 



Oh 'tis pleasant folly! 

 But when all our paths they sow, 

 Then comes melancholy ! " 





