"One is never thoroughly sociable with flowers till 

 they are naturalized, as it were, christened, provided 

 with decent, homely, well- wearing English names." 

 MARY RUSSELL MITFOED, Our Village. 



"The Cowslip startles in meadows green, 

 The Buttercup catches the sun in its chalice, 

 And there's never a leaf or a blade too mean 

 To be some happy creature 's palace. 



No matter how barren the past may have been, 

 'Tis enough for us now that the leaves are green ; 

 We sit in the warm shade and feel right well 

 How the sap creeps up and the blossoms swell ; 

 We may shut our eyes, but we cannot help knowing 

 That skies are clear and grasses growing. ' ' 



JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. 



