EARLY FLOWERS. 101 



and imagination acquire new sensibilities. It is appar- 

 ent that to tliis influence may be attributed the greater 

 pleasure we derive from the sight of the early spring 

 flowers. After the earth has remained bleak and deso- 

 late for half the year, every beautiful thing in nature 

 has a renewed charm, when it reappears ; and a single 

 violet by the way-side inspires a little child with more 

 delight than he feels when surrounded by a whole gar- 

 den of blossoms in the month of July. 



Parties of young children are annually called out by 

 the first warm sunshine to hunt for the early flowers of 

 April. The botanist is also already out among the 

 birds and children, peeping into green dells under the 

 shelving rocks, or in sunny nooks brushing away the 

 dry oak leaves, to find the early anemone or the fragrant 

 ground-laurel, (epigaea repens,) dipping his hand into 

 clear streams for confervse and watercresses, or examin- 

 ing the drooping branches of the andromeda for its 

 rows of pearly gems. He thinks not meanly of his 

 pursuit, though he finds for his companions the village 

 children and the poor herb woman who is employed in 

 gathering salads for the market. From her lips he may 

 obtain some important knowledge and derive a moral 

 hint, which may teach him that the sum of our enjoy- 

 ments is proportioned to the simplicity of our habits 

 and pursuits ; and that this poor herb woman, who lives 

 under the open windows of heaven, enjoys more happi- 

 ness, with all her poverty, than inajiiy envied persons 

 who are prisoned in a palace and shackled with gold. 



In the early part of the month he fiinds but few 

 flowers to reward his search, and he watches every little 

 group of children he meets to inquire if they have been 

 successful. By consulting ^with them he often learns 

 the locality of a .rare plant, a new pftiase in the aspect 



9* 



