MORAL OF FLOWERS. 67 



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 

 fliat is gross and therefore perishable. None, 

 we venture to aver, can gaze on those beautiful 

 fl alphabets of creation," those adorners of 

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

 utterly corrupted, and rendered impervious to 

 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 



