INTRODUCTION. 29 



and lavishly bestowed on pencilled representations 

 of the same objects? Monstrosities in animate 

 nature can yield no pure pleasurable ideas ; 

 they are only valued, from motives of curiosity, 

 for their singularity as a lusus naturae ; but such 

 incidents in the flower-garden are surely admis- 

 sible ; for there they are only an exuberance of 

 elegance, in forms and colours ; in short, an 

 excess of sweetness. Flowers, indeed, may be 

 uninviting or uninteresting ; but they never can 

 be positively ugly. 



OF THE SCENT OR AROMA OF 

 FLOWERS. 



The fragrance is one of the most attractive 

 and agreeable properties of flowers. Some plants 

 emit an odoriferous effluvia from their leaves and 

 stems at all times; but it is chiefly while they 

 are most interesting to the sight that they are also 

 most dehghtful to the smell. Many flowers are 

 scentless, and several are disagreeable ; but the 



