96 A DAY IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS. 



jealous cultivator had knocked the other out in order that 

 he might the more easily get the blind side of him. 

 (Laughter from all the gods). He, the Damask Rose, 

 knew Rosa Spinosa very well, having lived for two years 

 in the same row ; he was the most ungentlemanly cynic 

 he ever knew, not liking to see anybody prosper but 

 himself. He was not grafted on the Manetti, but stood 

 on his own stumps, and a stumpy little fellow he was. 

 It was often a matter of surprise to him that a Rose with 

 so strong an understanding should be found constantly 

 coquetting with an Old Lady called the Florist, who was 

 pretty and nothing more. He used to cram this Old Lady 

 with the most awful fibs (cries of Shame, shame) which 

 the poor old soul received in perfect good faith, to the 

 amusement of the bystanders. He had observed during 

 the two years that she had been visited by R. Spinosa, 

 that she had broken up very much, and as her under- 

 standing grew weaker she became more florid in her talk 

 and tawdry in her dress. (Cries of " Paint and brandy.") 

 She became more tenacious of her own interests and fonder 

 of scandal. He saw one letter that R. Spinosa wrote 

 to her, in which, among other things, were the following : 



He said that one of the first periodical writers on horti- 

 culture, Mr Beaton, recommended the Manetti stock for 

 Roses. (Oh fie ! from Veritas.) 



That Mr Rivers had written the only good book on 

 Roses ever published in England. (Cries of " Bosh," and 

 " Oily gammon.") 



That Mr William Paul had denounced the Manetti 

 because he could not grow it. (Laughter from Bonus 

 Eventus, and signs of general disapprobation.) 



That Roses budded on the Manetti would grow well in 

 sand or gravel if the ,big stones were picked out and 

 manure added. (Shake of the head from Picumnus, one 

 of the minor deities, asking if they would not grow 

 bottom upwards.) 



He told the " Old Lady " would she believe him ? 



