12 THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 



sweet perfumes, but all the beauties of tlie world of 

 plants remain unappreciated by many. They pass 

 by the dazzling white of the superb lily and bestow 

 not a glance; lovely rosebuds open to send forth 

 their splendor, unnoticed by the eye of man, and yet 

 can even the most perfect works of man's hand compare 

 in beauty with the most modest of the floral works 

 of nature ? 



Nor are the splendid colors and the harmonious 

 tints of flowers their only charms ; even these beauties 

 are often surpassed by the rich perfumes of which 

 they preserve a rich treasury in their bosoms. Does 

 it not seem then that flowers are the most opulent of 

 created things, that Nature has lavished upon them 

 her choicest gifts and that she loves them best of all 

 her children ? Well may we ask, as we inhale the 

 evening breeze, laden with rich perfumes, what strange 

 gifts they bring us from flower and forest and what 

 magic effect these grateful odors have on our mind, 

 on our soul ? They seem to be almost spiritual in 

 their ethereal lightness and to possess powers bestowed 

 upon them from on high. They cannot be weighed 

 or measured, and we have as yet not succeeded in 

 fathoming their marvellous secret. 



It is true then that all is marvellous in the vege- 

 table world, and that in describing their marvels we 

 should be bound to describe every thing. But since 

 it is equally true, as we have said above, that objects 

 which are continually before our eyes cease to interest 

 us, and since the new and the unknown alone appear 

 to us marvellous, we must needs seek among these 



