THE NEW USE OF SUN-DIALS 191 



covered, and it has been brought forth to stand on a 

 stone plinth in the heart of a rockery, to form the centre 

 of a Rose garden, and even to grace the little enclosure 

 of the suburbanist. 



People love the sun-dial because in its placid and im- 

 movable composure it embodies the spirit of old-time 

 gardening. It stands, not only for past times, but for 

 old scents. We think of it as the age-long companion 

 of the Clove, the Bergamot, the Southernwood, the Stock, 

 the Wallflower, the Damask Rose, and other favourites 

 which tradition has endeared to us. Marking the round 

 of their decline and re-birth during the past generations, 

 we feel that, mere thing of stone and iron though it be, 

 as silent as the pyramids, as inscrutable as the Sphinx, 

 it nevertheless has a feeling of kinship and sympathy for 

 the flowers which have been its constant associates. 



Let us put the sun-dial in our gardens, not for the 

 purpose of usurping the mundane duties of our clocks 

 and watches, but to remind us of the flowers which we 

 shall always love, for the memories that cling around 

 them, and also to teach us that time exists for other 

 things than business appointments and scrambles to 

 catch trains. Time lives for the trees, the hedges, and 

 the flowers. While they are active it moves, not clangor- 

 ously and breathlessly rather with stately, sedate and 

 composed step, as a queen moves through the waltz 

 but still moves. When they fade with the coming of frost 

 it becomes quiescent. 



The real spirit of time is sympathy. Enslaved by 

 springs and weights it may give the signal for the hideous 

 factory " hooter " which sends forth its brazen message 

 at six o'clock every week-day morning, summer and 

 winter alike, to draw the pallid toiler to his rough and 

 unloved labour. But it performs its uncongenial task 



