306 HISTORY OF BUITISH MOSSES. 



Splachnum and Sphagnum with the polish'd gleam 

 Of graceful urn by mountain streamlet feed, 



Mingled with squarrose Fork jNIoss, and the flowers 

 Of alpine floret's evanescent bloom, 



The mountain breezes and the psissing showers, 

 Envious, as 'twere, that others share the room 

 Of rare and humble beauties saved from winter's tomb. 



X. 



Protean, yet simple, are the numerous forms 



Of grace and beauty that adorn the soil. 

 Whose diverse structure, shelter'd from the storms. 



The Cryptogamic student may beguile 

 A leisure hour in searching. Close we now 



Recording "beardless " tenants of the field, 

 Weissia, Screw Moss, green and pm-ple glow 



Of Moss Hepatic's silver-peucill'd shield, 

 "Whose fronds of varied hue a close protection yield. 



XI. 



"Parent of Good!" we recognize thy hand 



In these minuter objects of thy care ; 

 Tread we the mountain's brow or ocean's strand. 



The humblest of thy works thy praise declare. 

 Thus we are taught thy wisdom and thy power, 



By care of sparrow's plume and moss's frond, — 

 iluch more of nobler creatures. Let the flower 



And verdant sward, that clothes the arid ground. 

 Show us thy love display'd in Nature's field around. 



