THE TWO CAKPETS. 11 



in which I sometimes shut myself up, to prevent interruption 

 whilst I am doing nothing. This carpet represents foliage 

 of a sombre green, strewed over with large red flowers. Yes- 

 terday my eyes feU upon my carpet, and I perceived that 

 the colours were becoming very faint, that the green was 

 getting of a very dingy hue, that the red was faded in a 

 deplorable manner, and that the wool was worn off, and 

 showed the string over the whole space that led fi-om the 

 door to the window, and from the window to my arm-chair 

 in the chimney corner. That is not aU ; whilst moving an 

 enormous and heavy table of carved wood, I made a rent iu 

 the cai'pet. All this disturbed me so much, that I imme- 

 diately had the rent repaired, but I could neither restore 

 freshness to the leaves nor brUIiancy to the red flowers. 

 But this morning, whilst walking round my garden, I 

 stopped before the grass-plot which is nearly in the centre 

 of it. 



Now here, said I, is just such a carpet as I like, always 

 fresh, always handsome, always rich. It cost me sixty pounds 

 of grass seeds, at twopence hal^enny the poimd, that is to 

 say, twelve shillings, and it is about the same age as that in 

 my closet, which cost me twelve pounds ten shfflings. That 

 which cost twelve pounds ten shillings has undergone sad 

 changes; it is now poor, and becoming poorer every day, in 

 its tarnished splendour, threadbare, disgraceful and patched ; 

 whilst this before me becomes every year more beautiful, . 

 more green, more tufted. And with what profuseness of 

 beauty it changes and renews itself! In spring it is of 

 a pale green, strewed over with small white daisies and a few 

 violets. Shortly after, the green becomes deeper, and the 

 daisies are replaced by glossy buttercups. To the buttercups 

 succeed red and white trefoil. In the autumn, my carpet 

 assumes a yellower tint, and instead of the red and white 

 trefoil, it is sprinkled with colchicums, which spring from 

 the earth like little violet-coloured lilies. In winter its white 

 snow dazzles the eyes, as it has been danced and walked over. 

 Then although in the spring, as well as the autumn, it is a little 

 worn and ragged, it puts itself to rights in such a manner, that 

 we cannot perceive its wounds, or even its scars : whilst my 

 other carpet remains there with its eternal red flowers, which 



