22 BKITISH WATER-LILIES. 



they often seek to slmn the vulgar gaze beneath the 

 overhanging woodland Lough, the shady rock, or the 

 long green grass of the meadow. But as the gorgeous 

 blossoms of tropical lands give to tropical scenes much 

 of their grandeur and beauty, so many of the gentle 

 flowers of our northern land come forth from their shy 

 retreats to deck the merry plains of old England, and 

 to begem the " land of brown heath" with brighter 

 beauties than the poet dreamt of while depicting 

 her features of stern grandeur. If the southern fo- 

 rest can boast of its tree ferns rising in stately ma- 

 jesty, o'ertopped by the towering Palm, and of the 

 less grand, but not less lovely, productions that luxu- 

 riate in the deep shade, or festoon the branches of 

 every tree, can we not point the finger of admiration 

 to the golden glow of our summer fields the glory 

 of our shady dells, brightly blue as the heavens o'er 

 our head with Harebells and Forget-me- Nots or, 

 w r ith a prouder feeling still, can we not direct the eye 

 to our lofty mountains covered far and wide with their 

 mantle of bright purple Heather, with here an Oak, 

 and there a Pine-forest waving in the mountain- 

 breeze, and sheltering beneath their rough boughs 

 many a modest gem of loveliness, linked in its 

 associations with the finest feelings of the human 

 heart 1 Beautiful in their lowliness, the humble wild- 

 flowers claim our warmest sympathies; they are the 

 dear things that adorn our native land, the remem- 

 brancers of many a hallowed scene, and of many a 



