" MY FATHER'S GARDEN." 497 



she directed me into, and which I followed obediently, 

 I might have all my life remained a poor hard-working 

 market gardener when I think of this, I rebel against the 

 rule which advises us to rest satisfied with the lowest 

 estate we may be placed in, for I will not believe that it 

 was ever intended that one endowed with human intelli- 

 gence was pre-destined to remain stationary. 



"There are and ever will be, I suppose, 'hewers of 

 wood and drawers of water,' and I pity those who remain 

 contented with such servile occupations. Those who ex- 

 claim against ambition raise a cry against progress, for it 

 is that which causes a spirited lad to strive to excel both 

 in the playground and in the school, and though on the 

 latter point I speak not from experience, as my education 

 was of the very humblest, yet I have known many who 

 won the honour of captaincy in our schools that went out 

 and distinguished themselves in the world, as they were 

 sure to do. Had I been kept down and remained only a 

 common market gardener, I should have striven hard as I 

 grew older to have carried off a prize at some exhibition 

 of vegetables for the finest cabbage or lettuce, if I could 

 have grown nothing better ; for I believe that in the 

 humblest calling we may for a time follow, anyone with 

 a right ambition will reach the top of it." 



The tale is a sweet picture of family concord, and 

 points the road of honest and persevering industry as the 

 surest means of reaching an honourable end. We repeat, 

 lest we should mislead our readers, that this is not a book 

 on practical gardening, but it is one, nevertheless, that all 

 nurserymen and gardeners young nurserymen and gar- 

 deners especially should read. Joyous in spirit, clear, 

 vigorous, and simple in style, reminding us in this respect 

 of Swift without any of his coarseness, it bears a forcible 

 contrast to much of our garden literature. No fine words, 

 no bungling sentences, no flippancies or conceits the tale 

 runs on like a smooth river, flowing through well-kept 

 banks studded with bright and beautiful trees and flowers, 



2F 



