224 



THE HAWTHORN. 



sition, and that they seem to lie heavily on the lireast 

 of the dead, and to confine and shut them away from 

 us. This last, however, is a matter of more feeling 

 and taste, and may not prevail with all minds. The 

 broken column and the reversed torch deserve also a 

 passing criticism. These certainly ai:e beautiful sym- 

 bols, as might have been expected from the country 

 of their origin, Greece. But are they appropriate 

 for us ? trreece had no Bible, and knew almost noth- 

 ing of the resurrection nor of the Christian's heaven, 

 and might well represent death with such gloomy de- 

 vices. But wdien a good man dies, we do not con- 

 sider the column shattered, nor the lamp of life e.\- 

 tinct. The column ends just where the All-wise 

 Architect saw it most fitting to terminate it; and 

 the lamp still burns, only with a brighter flame. It 

 has been happily said that, "Those who will use the 

 gloomy hieroglyphics of a perished creed, should at 

 least place near them the cheering emblems of a re- 

 ligious faith. If death be represented with downcast 

 look and inverted flame, let Immortality, as in the 

 fine group of Thorwaldsen, stand by his side with 

 torch high blazing, and eyes upturned with love and 

 rapture." But whatever style of monument be cho- 

 sen, — obelisk, pyramid, urn, cross, column, slab, or any 

 thing else, let it be charaHerized by simplicity. Os- 

 tentation is nowhere morj disgusting than in a burial 

 place. AVe walk past the huge sepulchral stone of 

 the merely rich man, with the trifling exclamation 

 "How much this cost! What vain man lies here ?'" 

 But when we come to the little hillock which covers 

 the remains of a child, though it have no headstone, 

 our tenderest respect and sympathy are at once exci- 

 ted. Nothing seems more beautiful than that lowly 

 mound and the Violets upon it, watered, perhaps, by 

 a mother's tears. 



In regard to this whole subject of monuments, the 

 best general rule that we remember to have met with 

 is this: " Jl monument should betray no desire to ex- 

 hibit great costliness, and no endeavor to avoid a 

 reasonable expense." 



It is perhaps impossible, now, to change the prev- 

 alent custom of inclosing cemetery lots with hedges, 

 chains, and fences; but obviously, they are not need- 

 ed to protect monuments from injury by man or 

 beast; tor, any one desirous of marring them, can do 

 so, in spite of such inclosures, and cattle are never 

 allowed to range in a well-ordered cemetery. AVhy 

 not indicate the boundaries of lots by small granite 

 posts at the corners, a few inches above the ground, 

 or by a slight elevation of the sod above the sur- 

 rounding soil ? Why not avoid whatever has the ap- 

 pearance of exclusiveness and pride, in the place of 

 graves, and let the prevailing spirit and expression of 

 the spo" be that all who slumber there are brethren 

 of one common family ? 



It is a pleasing sign of the times that so much at- 

 tention is now being paid, in all parts of the country, 

 to the founding of rural ce?neteries. It is an honor 

 to the character and tastes of the people. We are 

 not, then, wholly engrossed in the worship of Mam- 

 mon, forgetful of the amenities and tender charities 

 of life. Let us encourage, more and more, every 

 movement which looks to the promotion of true 

 social culture and happiness. Let us seek to make 

 our homes more comely and attractive; and, since 



we are all appointed te ', die, let us smooth 

 passage to the grave by the comforts of religion, 

 tender respect for the dead, and by beautifying tl 

 last resting-place." — j}. D. G., in Horticulturist. 



THE HAWTHOKN. 



Amsng all the variety of beautiful trees and shn 

 which adorn the landscape, none can claim a m 

 prominent place than the hawthorn, in its numer 

 species and varieties. " Of all the genera of hai 

 ligneous plants in cultivation in British gardens," s 

 LouDO.N, " there is not one, which, taking it altoge 

 i-r, can be compared with the genus Crataegus, 

 the species may be trained either as small, handso 

 exceedingly picturesque trees, or as beautiful and ) 

 turesque shrubs, at the pleasure of the cultiva 

 They have all a characteristic, neat, "orderly man 

 of growth; neither so slow as to convey the idea 

 the want of vigor, nor so rapid and robust as to 

 considered coarse and rambling. Their leaves 

 remarkably neatly cupped and finely tufted; tl 

 flowers appear in masses, so abundant, in some s 

 cies, as almost to cover the plant in the flowei 

 season; and their fruit is produced in as great ab 

 dance as their flowers. Tlie color of the flower; 

 generally white, and they are mostly more or less 

 grant; some of them, as the common hawthorn, 

 ing particularly so; their color, though white at fi 

 yet in some cases, as in that of the common dou 

 flowered hawthorn, die ofl' of a very fine pink; i 

 there are several pink-flowered varieties of the C' 

 moa hawthorn which are strikingly ornamental, 

 fruit varies in size, from that of C. spathulata, wl 

 is not much larger than a mustard seed, to that o 

 mexicana, which is about as large as a golden pij 

 apple. The color of the fruit, as already mentioi 

 is red, yellow, black or gi-een, and includes many 

 rieties of shade. Finally," observes this autl 

 " if a man were exiled to an estate without a su 

 tree or shrub on it, with permission to choose ( 

 one genus of ligneous plants to form all his pla) 

 tions, shrubberies, orchards and flower gardens, wl 

 would he find a genera that would afford him so m 

 resources as that of the Cratn?gus." 



May is the common and well known name of 

 English hawthorn in Great Britain, and its fiov 

 have been identified with the floral games of M 

 from time immeinorial. The Greeks and Rom 

 gathered the flowers in honor of Flora, to whom 

 plant was dedicated, and whose festival began 

 May Day. Formerly, in decking the May pole w 

 flowers, a bunch of the hawthorn was always 

 upon the top. This, however, was in the olden ti 

 previous to the alteration in the style, when May I 

 occurred eleven days later than at present. It is c 

 so rarely in bloom on May Day that the practicf 

 abolished, except in the southern part of Engla 

 Various legends are connected with particular in 

 — one of the most remarkable of which is that of 

 Glastonbury thorn; this is said to have sprung fr 

 a staff stuck into the ground by Joseph of Arii 

 thea, upon his visit to England, after the death 

 Christ, which immediately shot forth leaves and bl 

 soms. It was upon Christmas day; and the lege 

 adds that the thorn is still in existence and annua, 

 blossoms on thai day. 



