HOXESTY. 139 



the weeds, and exhibit tlieiv satin-like, broad, flat, pellucid 

 pods as if they belonged to the same fraternity." 



But there is a hiyli evilture of everything', even of 

 honesty. Therefore I will ask you to fly with me to 

 Belvoir Castle. Tiiere, ou a grand slope overlooking one 

 of the linest woodland scenes in Britain, is a paradise 

 called the " Duchess's Garden," planted with hardy spring 

 flowers for the most part, and beautiful beyond descrip- 

 tion from March to ^lay, after wdiich a little touch of the 

 commonplace comes over it, although it is always bright 

 and glorious. Here the lunaria jilays an important part in 

 the spring colouring, and a definite system is followed in 

 its cultivation. It consists in the destruction of every 

 inferior plant the instant the Mowers are seen, and the 

 saving of seed from the very best. The seeds are sown 

 in frames and sheltered beds, and in the course of the 

 summer the plants are put out where they are to flower 

 in the following spring. Occasionally, plants that possess 

 particularly fine qualities are propagated by division; but 

 careful selection of seed is generally sufficient to insure 

 strong plants and flowers of the finest colour. When we 

 have basked in the sunshine and inhaled the sweet odours 

 of this grand garden of spring flowers, we have recalled 

 the lines of Gower : — 



" For there no stormy w'eder fiiUcth 

 Whiche might greue man or best : 

 And eke tlie londe is so honest 

 That it is plentiious and plaine 

 There is no idell ground in vaine." 



With such a subject, a moment of moralising may be 

 allowed, but we will not trust to any wisdom of our own 

 for a homily on honest}-. We prefer to turn to a great 



