io6 A WHITE-PAPER GARDEN 



the world was not so old and sad and wise as 

 the world we know. It is all very well that 

 men have cast the parallax of stars, and have 

 made electricity into a handmaid, but to see the 

 kindly little people at play in the moonshine, 

 and to hear the horns of elfland faintly blowing, 

 that would be very well also ! 



Between my cowslips of many colours, little 

 clumps of dwarf iris shall grow, and against 

 the almond hedge or at least within such near- 

 ness to it that they shall appear to be close to 

 the lovely, bending pinkness there shall be a 

 long, long row of flags, the royal banners of 

 the conquering sun. These shall be the great 

 white Florentines, or Germanicas the same 

 flower is accredited to both Italy and Germany 

 in various lists with a thick planting of the 

 white Spanish iris, and some tall clusters of 

 single white columbines, to give grace to the 

 stiff ranks of flag leaves. Beyond shall be 

 another field of banners wherein shall be 

 planted standards of many colours : 



" Blue flags, yellow flags, flags all freckled, 

 Which will you take, yellow-blue or speckled ? 

 Take which you will, speckled, blue or yellow 

 Each in its way has not its fellows 11 



