94 A DAY IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS. 



would attest, and the object of the deputation was to 

 implore the gods to disperse the mists which overspread 

 the subject, and enable mankind to draw their inferences 

 from facts exhibited in the clear broad light of day. 



The Moss Rose (Mdlle. Rosa Bonheur) would not 

 detain the assembled deities many moments. She had 

 merely risen to say that she had been budded on the 

 Manetti, and the first year grew like a willow, but what 

 with the gross feeding of her fostermother, her constant 

 self-assertion, restless temperament, and addiction to 

 mildew, she (Mdlle. R. B.) never prospered after, and 

 ultimately fell a prey to starvation and frost. The 

 Florist, a journal which modestly assumed to be the 

 organ of the rural deities (Expressions of dissent from 

 all, the hair of Astraea starting up on end, while Priapus 

 was so astonished that he turned a complete somersault) 

 well, she thought such was the case the Florist advocated 

 the cause of their common enemy, and she entreated the 

 assembled deities to condescend to grant their prayer 

 and remove the film that had recently bedimmed her 

 aged eyes. 



The Rosa Spinosa (the Scotch Rose) begged to say 

 that the last speaker, Mdlle. Rosa Bonheur, had painted 

 the case too forcibly. It .was well known that she viewed 

 everything couleur de rose, and what she said must not 

 be taken literally. An ignoramus (cries of Oh ! Oh ! 

 and Order) well wasn't he an ignoramus to spell Manetti 

 with two i's (uproar, amidst which Bacchus took a long 

 draught of nectar) well he would say a rose-grower 

 (hear, hear) had tried to write down the Manetti, but 

 he was a prejudiced humbug (order) and couldn't grow 

 Roses on the Manetti or anything else. He had once 

 spoken of Mr Rivers' book of Roses as amusing rather 

 than instructive, and called the Manetti a "bubble." A 

 bubble forsooth ! He (Rosa Spinosa) knew it was not a 

 bubble, and if asked why, he answered emphatically, 

 " because it wasn't." (Derisive cheers.) The gods might 



