GREAT WHITE WATER-LILY. 83 



British lakes, reclining upon the bosom of their clear 

 waters in peaceful repose, and adding greatly to their 

 beauty. In the quiet recesses of the Highland lakes, 

 especially, as Hooker has remarked, 



" The Water Lily to the light 

 Her chalice rears of silver bright." 



And beautiful, indeed, the scenes which she adorns 

 often are the islands of verdure formed on the 

 unruffled surface by her expanded foliage, studded 

 with myriads of majestic blossoms of the purest white, 

 which, reflected in the mirroring waters, give quite 

 a fajry aspect to the mountain lake. But much as 

 she loves the peaceful retirement of the Highland 

 waters, far away from the homes and the haunts of 

 men, she does not always seek this mountain seclu- 

 sion; sometimes her fair form may be seen upon the 

 gentle stream, or more nobly flowing river, where 

 the water is sufficiently deep, the current not too 

 strong for her delicate, yet stately form, and the 

 bottom soft, slimy, and muddy enough to form a 

 congenial soil for her deep rooting radicles : 



" Mark where transparent waters glide, 

 Soft-flowing o'er their tranquil bed; 

 There, cradled in the dimpling tide, 

 Nymphsea rests her lovely head." 



It may appear supererogatory for us to give any 

 description of this lovely lady of our Scottish lakes, 

 seeing that there are few flowers more easily distin- 

 guished, and few that can boast of so many personal 



