98 THE FIELD AND THE GARDEN. 



has not failed to intermeddle with the flower-garden, and 

 has often stamped a false value upon certain flowers of 

 inferior beauty compared' with others of a more simple 

 habit and deportment. We who have not been compelled 

 to wear the yoke of this tyranny will continue to admire 

 those which have been sanctified to our imagination by 

 the poets of nature. 



Many of our common garden-flowers are closely inter- 

 woven with the fabric of English literature ; and the fre- 

 quent mention of them by the early poets, who treated 

 them more in detail than their successors, has invested 

 them with charms which are derived from their descrip- 

 tions and the imagery that accompanies them. Others 

 are commended to us by the memories of childhood, and 

 by their frequency in the gardens of rustic cottages in the 

 country. Such are the marigold, the larkspur, the morn- 

 ing-glory, the iris, the crocus, and the snowdrop. How 

 vividly are the early scenes and events of our life called 

 up by these simple flowers, and how greatly do they con- 

 tribute to the cheerfulness and sacredness of the grounds 

 they occupy ! Coming generations will be affected with 

 less emotion by these particular flowers, because their 

 childhood will make friendships with others that have 

 taken their places. But I am persuaded that the intro- 

 duction of such multitudinous species in our gardens is 

 fatal to the poetic interest that might be felt in a smaller 

 number. A few flowers take a stronger hold of our affec- 

 tions and our imaginations than a multitude. Thus peo- 

 ple who live in retirement, with a small circle of friends, 

 are more devoutly attached to them than others who have 

 very many, whom they constantly meet in the social in- 

 tercourse of fashion. 



I will confess that I am not an admirer of floral exhi- 

 bitions. I am offended when I see flowers degraded to 

 a level with ribbons, laces, and jewelry, and prized accord- 



