EVERT WOMAN HER OWN I LOWER GARDENER. 147 



. The cultivation of " The Beautiful " should be the desire of every 

 woman's heart. Goethe's sentiment, "We should do our utmost to 

 encourage the Beautiful, for the useful encourages itself," should be our 

 watchword. There are few women who do not take delight in flowers, 

 and the object of this little book is to encourage them to cultivate them 

 around and about their own homes, where their fragrance will delight 

 every one that passes by them. 



They speak to us of love and joy; of hope and peace; of humility 

 and confidence ; and also of bitter sorrow and grief for they are asso- 

 ciated with those who have passed away, and whose loss has darkened 

 the horizon of our lives. They also teach us of the resurrection of the 

 dead, and the life immortal that fadeth not away. They adorn the sol- 

 die) s grave ; they circle the brow of loveliness ; they crown the festive 

 hall ; they are everywhere, and are closely mingled with both joy and 

 sorrow. 



They are not a necessity to many of us; but they teach us to Jive 

 nearer to God. Truly Mrs. Howitt writes of them : 



' ' Our outward life requires them not, 



Then wherefore have they birth ? 

 To minister delight to man, 



To beautify the earth I 

 To comfort man to whisper hope, 



Where'er his faith is dim, 

 For whoso careth for the llowers, 



Will much more care for Him !'* 



I truly pity those who cannot turn from the hurry of business with 

 all its corroding cares, from the pomp of wealth, and the gay devices of 

 fashion, and feast their senses and their souls upon the sight and per- 

 fume of a flower ! 



Far better to teach our daughters to cultivate roses on the cheeks, 

 and in their gardens, to ornament their rooms with the fragrance and 

 beauty of roses and lilies, and all the gorgeous sisterhood of flowers, than 

 to make ruffles, and puffs, and plaits and endless puckers wherewith to 

 adorn themselves. Children can easily be taught to love flowers, and 

 the taste can never be used to deteriorate the character. 



Linnaeus, the renowned Swedish botanist, was the son of a poor 

 country clergyman, who had a small flower-garden, in which he culti- 

 vated all the flowers which he could procure, and his means would 

 permit. 



