SECRETARY'S REPORT. 67 



which nature smooths the rugged rocks and adorns the old posts 

 and rails. Where could we stop, if we enumerated one of a 

 hundred of the objects, where beauty seems to be the chief end 

 of creation ? What flashing gems ; what gay plumage on the 

 birds ; what wealth of beauty in the field and forest ! Do you 

 doubt whether this was done for man's instruction ? Nature is 

 his school-mistress. And if there is one lesson which she has 

 so arranged that he must read it every day an^ in every place, 

 it is, that beauty is not only a source of delight, but that it is 

 man's duty to increase beauty. It is remarkable how beauty and 

 utility are joined together. The most beautiful horse, the most 

 beautiful stock of any kind, is generally the best. The more 

 beautiful fruits are generally rich in flavor. This is not always 

 so, but it is so common that the beautiful stock and beautiful 

 fruit first attract attention, and every one will believe them best 

 till the contrary is proved. We can go farther still, and show 

 that nature has provided for the increase of beauty in some 

 plants at the expense of every other good. If we cultivate the 

 apple, or corn, or potato, we get better apples and corn, 

 because they were made for man to eat. But if we cultivate 

 the rose, the violet or the dahlia, we simply get more beautiful 

 flowers, because they were made, not to be eaten, but to give 

 delight by their beauty. There is in every plant the creative 

 idea, or the leading idea of its creation, which proper cultivation 

 will always develop. And full as many plants develop in the 

 line of beauty as in the line of fruit, aiid no power of man can 

 change their line of development. He may cause the rose or 

 the dahlia to form new varieties, almost without limit, and they 

 may become so double as to lose all power of producing seed, 

 but no power of his can cause the rose or the dahlia to produce 

 delicious fruit instead of double flowers. They and their 

 sister flowers were made for beauty. Man can work with 

 nature and increase that beauty, but he might as well cause the 

 rivers to flow back to the mountains as to defeat nature's plan, 

 and change her choicest flowers to useful fruits. She holds her 

 ground and declares to you, that while she adorns all nature 

 even in the production of fruit, she will have you to understand 

 that she seeks beauty for its own sake, and if man would be 

 truly cultivated and enjoy the earth, he must seek it too — seek 



