WATER LILY. 



149 



from being injured by constantly remaining 

 on the water. The reverse of this is seen 

 in all such trees, or plants, or flowers, as 

 grow on land. In each, the upper surface 

 is thickly or slightly varnished, according to 

 the places of their growth, or their exposure 

 to wind and rain. The delicate green leaves 

 of such plants as open in warm weather ; 

 for example, the vine, the rose, or honey- 

 suckle, look as if a brush lightly dipped 

 in varnish had passed over their upper sur- 

 faces, while those of the laurel or the bay, 

 the holly or the common ivy, are richly 

 varnished on both sides, because they are 

 liable to be shaken up and down by eddy- 

 ing winds, and are consequently exposed 

 to the action of heavy rains. 



The lily is open at noon day, with her bril- 

 liant petals and bright yellow anthers ; but 

 gradually as the sun declines from his me- 

 ridian height, so gradually shuts up the 



