406 WILD FLOWERS. 



in the south-west districts of England, especially in 

 Devonshire, and presents a very gay appearance in 

 autumn, when its capsules open and display the 

 bright masses of scarlet seeds they enclose. So 

 persistent are these that the plant frequently re- 

 mains decorated with them until the months of 

 March or April ; reminding us, all the long months 

 of win ter through, that the happy spring tide the 

 neuez amser, " new time/' of the Breton, or newydd 

 amser of the Welsh will assuredly come once more, 

 when these adhering seeds shall quietly leave the 

 plant they have so faithfully adorned, and shall lie 

 quietly down in the earth to germinate once more, 

 and with glad young blossoms deck anew the banks 

 they have adorned so long. From these, as from 

 other things in Nature, true and happy lessons may 

 be learned ; and truly happy indeed is the heart 

 that treasures them carefully up : a harvest store 

 for days of care and trial ; and so, in the words of 

 Wordsworth : 



" Do you for your own benefit construct 

 A calendar of flowers, plucked as they blow, 

 "Where health abides, and cheerfulness, and grace." 



And 



" Bist du krank, verstimmt, erbos't ; 

 Komm' in griiDen Auen 

 Deine Welt zu kauen."* 



Mayer. 



