MORAL OF FLOWERS. 



And is not a Flower " a thing of beauty ?" 

 is it not a thing of surpassing loveliness ? Who 

 can gaze on its exquisitely perfect form, its un- 

 rivalled brilliancy of hue, without a thrill of 

 admiration, and a sensation of pleasure ? 

 pleasure which passeth not away, but dwelleth 

 on the memory like a pleasant perfume, that 

 remains long after the object from whence it 

 emanated has perished; and why is this? 

 because of its purity, its freedom from aught 

 that is gross and therefore perishable. None, 

 we venture to aver, can gaze on those beautiful 

 " alphabets of creation," those adorners of 

 earth's bosom, unmoved, but such as have hearts 

 utterly corrupted, and rendered impervious tc 

 every sweet and gentle impression ; and even 

 such will at times feel stirring within them at 

 the sight, thoughts that have long slumbered, 

 and awakened by those " silent monitors," the 

 "still small voice of conscience" is heard, in- 

 citing them to shake off the trammels of guilt, 

 and return to the ways of pleasantness and 

 peace, wherein their feet once trod, when 



