OLD AND NEW ROSES. 93 



letter Mr. Longfellow penned, he spoke of arranging some won- 

 (ieiful Newport flowers in his library- under the lamps, '• — fancying 

 ra^-self back in the days of the troubadours playing at the floral 

 games of Toulouse." 



Memory bears us up tlie stream of time, when we are to believe 

 the roses in the famous gardens of the East were as pure and 

 steadfast as now, relics of Eden's bowers, " sweet nurslings of the 

 vernal skies, bathed in soft airs." The same resistless beauty 

 was doubtless manifest, fltiunting in the shades of early morn ; the 

 same sunshine loved them tiien, because the}' were so fair; the 

 same closing and fading of tlie petals were descried under the drop- 

 ping of Ihe dews in the gloaming. Tlie ages certainly liave not 

 detracted from the loveliness of beauty's queen, nor has constant 

 association made the rose less alluring. The admirer of tlie rose 

 in summer time in this favored locality can sit before his favorite 

 flower in mute admiration, and find refreshment, rest, and peace 

 in the parterre, as he surveys with delight his collection, whose 

 brightness and sweetness bring tender memories, solaces, and 

 hopes, while the reflections awakened by floricultural nomen- 

 clature afford new sources of enjoyment. He seems for a brief 

 period to dream of other climes, in the companionship of distin- 

 guished friends and acquaintances, all attired in richest apparel. 

 The counts and countesses, dukes and duchesses, princes and 

 barons, lords and marquises, queens and empresses, sultans and 

 presidents, cardinals and doctors, generals and captains, senators 

 and reverends, ladies and knights, madames and mademoiselles 

 are a royal family, grand and graceful when expanded to fullest 

 beauty '• of flowers purple, red, and white, like sapphire, pearl, and 

 rich embroidery," amidst rosebuds blushing through their bovvers 

 of green, more lovely still the more concealed. 



" There a noble crew 

 Of lords and ladies stood on every side, 

 Which, witii their presence fair, the place much beautified." 



And so we talk, when the earth is clad in snow-white robes, " of 

 the sweet season that bud and bloom forth brings." Now our 

 thoughts again revert to the delights of spring and summer, full 

 of sunny days and roses. They carry us also to the primitive 

 home of our cherished flower, where the objects of admiration are 

 never exhausted ; where the Syrian and Musk rose, replete with 



