232 OUR ROCK-GARDEN 



dianthus, implies no less than that the pinks were 

 from their beauty specially dedicated to great Jove 

 himself, and were the prime floral favourites of 

 Olympus, the special adornment of the rock-gardens 

 of the Elysian Fields. Charming as these flowers 

 are, one feels that it is really setting too high a value 

 on them when one recalls the graceful lily, the 

 fragrant rose, and many another floral beauty. 

 It is not quite a case of the pink being supreme 

 beyond compare. The name was bestowed by 

 Linneus, and when we consider the hundreds of 

 plants to which he stood godfather it would be 

 hypercritical to require that all their names should 

 be above criticism. Some folk have even gone 

 so far as to declare that a meaningless name is 

 even better than one carrying some sort of more 



"And this our life, exempt from public haunt, 

 Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones, and good in everything." 



It was evident that it was absurd to look for books in a 

 brook ; in such a position the driest volume would succumb 

 and fall to pieces ; while no one could get sermons into stones 

 or out of them. After pondering the matter light dawned, 

 and the thoughtful critic cleared all up by the new reading 



u And this our life, exempt from public haunt, 

 Finds stones in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in books, and good in everything." 



In spite of this happy blend of erudition and inspiration 

 men have been found so conservative as still to prefer the 

 older reading ! 



