s^lXX Wild Flowers in their relations to 

 out Pastoral Life. 



A LECTURE 



READ TO THE 



MECHANICS' INSTITUTE OF BERWICK-UPON-TWEED 

 IN THE SPRING OF 1851. 



a ^xdvi^t of Mottoti. 



" A merry time it is in May, 

 When springeth the summer's day, 

 And damisels carols leadeth. 

 On green wood fowls gredeth." — Romance of Merlin. 



' Who sawe evir so feyr or so glad a day. 

 And how sote this seson is entring into May ? 

 The thrustelis and the thrushis, in this glad momyng, 

 The ruddok and the goldfynch ; hut the nyghtingale 

 His amerous notis )o how he twynitli small ! 

 Lo how the trees grenyth that nakid wer, and nothing 

 Bare this month afore hut their sommer clothLag ! 

 Lo how Nature maketh for them everichone ! 

 And as many as ther he he forgettith noone ! 

 Lo how the seson of the yere and Averell showris 

 Doith the hushis burgyn out blossoms and flouris ! 

 Lo the prymerosis how fresh they ben to sene ! 

 And many othir flouris among the grassis grene. 

 Lo how they spryng, and sprede, and of divers hue ! 

 Beholdith, and seith both rede, white and blue ! 

 That lusty bin and comfortabill for mann'ys sight ! 

 For I sey for myself it makith my hert to hght." — Chaucer. 



" Pleasant are the words of the song," said CuthuUin ! " lovely the tales 

 of other times ! They are like the calm dew of the morning on the hill of 

 roes when the sun is faint on its side, and the lake is settled and blue in 

 the vale."— OssiAN. 



