SUN-DIALS. 85 



the wild Hyacinths or Bluebells will come cluster- 

 ing up, and make the grass all blue. The poetry 

 of gardens is so entirely neglected in these days 

 of " bedding stuff," that it is well to do anything 

 that can properly be done, without extravagance 

 of taste or method, to revive it. 



In the inner garden I think also of placing a 

 sun-dial, which would be in good keeping with the 

 rather formal character of the beds. Mrs. Gatty's 

 beautiful book on sun-dials should help me to a 

 motto. They are of two sorts the mottoes that 

 warn, and the mottoes that console. " The night 

 cometh," l or " Pereunt et imputantur," are good 

 examples of the one ; " Horas non numero nisi 

 serenas," or " Post tenebras lucem spero," are the 

 best instances of the other. But there is a verse 

 by Mrs. Browning, which (if I may so adapt it by 

 a slight alteration in the second line) would make 

 a finer inscription still 



"See, the shadow on the dial, 

 In the lot of every one, 

 Marks the passing of the trial, 

 Proves the presence of the sun." 



1 Many years ago Miss Martineau told me of this motto, and I 

 see that in her "Autobiography" she speaks of it as "perfect in 

 its way." She however finally adopted for her own sun-dial the 

 happier " Come, light ! visit me 1 " 



