70 THE KOSE. 



pie would only rightly prepare and use it, but 

 each rosarian points to the other and wonders 

 why no one is found to make use of this valuable 

 commodity which now goes to waste, but no one 

 takes hold. ^' The Romans reverenced Cloacina, 

 the goddess of the sewers, and the statue which 

 they found of her in the great drains of Tarquin- 

 ius was beautiful as Yenus's self ; but they 

 honored her, doubtless, only as a wise sanitary 

 commissioner who removed their impurities, and, 

 BO doing, brought health to their heroes and love- 

 liness to their maidens. They only knew half 

 her merits ; but in Olympus, we may readily be- 

 lieve, there was fuller justice done. Although 

 weaker goddesses may have been unkind — may 

 have averted their divine noses when Cloacina 

 passed, and made ostentatious use of scent-bottle 

 and pocket-handkerchief — Flora, and Pomona, 

 and Ceres would ever admire her virtues, and 

 beseech her benign influence upon the garden, 

 the orchard, and the farm. But the terrestrials 

 never thought that f(£x urhis might be lux orMs^ 

 and they polluted their rivers, as we ours, with 

 that which should have fertilized their lands. 

 And we blame the Romans very much indeed ; 



