48 EXCURSIONS ROUND LONDON. 



rived by man from the vegetable creation, 

 his heart overflows with gratitude to the 

 benevolent Author of nature, who has so 

 liberally provided for the wants aiid com- 

 forts of man. Not only has he strewed his 

 path with flowers, which delight the eye by 

 the brilliancy of their tints and the beauty 

 of their foliage, but lie has also embalmed 

 and purified the air which we breathe, by 

 the odours which they diffuse around us. 



Every season of the year presents us with 

 different fruits and different flowers; and if 

 Nature has shown herself economic in the 

 dispensation of her boons, it was only with 

 the benevolent intent of enabling us to en- 

 joy them in endless and uninterrupted suc- 

 . cession. 



In studying the relations of fruits and 

 flowers to their odour and taste, we are 

 struck with the blossom's falling off at 

 the time when the fruit is first formed. 

 While the latter continues in an immature 

 state, jt is in a great measure concealed by 

 < its 



