92 CONVERSATIONS ON THE 



the rose-coloured cones, with the scarlet seeds 

 hanging from them, and yon can scarcely 

 imagine any thing more lovely." 



" And yet this beautiful tree is of no use ; 

 what a terrible pity it is, Uncle Philip." 



" Not so, my dear child ; though the mag- 

 nolia is useless, its beauty pleases the eye, and 

 we have a right to suppose that this was the 

 purpose for which it was created. God has 

 been so good to us as not merely to provide 

 for our wants, but also for our pleasures ; for 

 this, He has given perfume to the rose, bril- 

 liancy to the diamond, and loveliness to the 

 magnolia ; and though we can neither eat 

 the gem or the flower, nor make use of the 

 beautiful tree for any of the purposes to which 

 we apply the oak or the pine, they are not 

 the less gracious and estimable gifts,, and they 

 call for our gratitude' just as- much as the 

 most useful productions of nature." 



" Uncle Philip, are there any more trees 

 that have large handsome flowers ?" 



" Oh yes, several ; there are the tulip-tree, 

 and the catalpa, and some of the bays and 

 laurels. There are the loblolly bay, and the 

 franklinia, that in some respects seem to be- 

 long to the class of magnolias ; but they have 



