LANGUAGE 'OF FLOWERS. 29 



the mere sensualist or the shallow sentimentalist 

 would imagine ; and here are the words of one 

 who has studied them deeply, and knows that 

 they are types and characters of the glorious 

 revelation, second only to that direct one which 

 God has given us in the Bible. What says he: 



" Listen k> the words of wisdom, 



Uttered by the tongue of truth, 

 Tottering age and manly vigour^ 



Listen ye and smiling youth." H. G, A. 



Books are great and glorious agents of civili- 

 zation and happiness. They are the silent 

 teachers of mankind, filling the mind with 

 wisdom, and strengthening the understanding 

 for the strife of action ; making us powerful and 

 gentle, wise and humble, at the same time. 

 But we cannot be always buried in our books ; 

 we must sometimes go out into the sunshine, 

 and U is necessary, in order to enjoy our books, 

 that we should also enjoy the privilege of air 

 and light, drinking in health and vigor, to 

 enable us to make the best and most profitable 

 use of our sedentary hours. In direct opposi- 

 tion then to books, or rather in secret combination 



