162 BIBBS AND MAN 



flower ; then at a perfect yellow chrysanthemum, 

 or an allamanda, and at any exquisitely beautiful 

 orchid, that has no human colour in it, which he 

 may be acquainted with, he will probably say : I 

 admire these chrysanthemums and other flowers 

 more than the rose ; they are most perfect in 

 their beauty — I cannot imagine an5rthing more 

 beautiful ; but though the rose is less beautiful 

 and splendid, the admiration I have for it 

 appears to differ somewhat in character — to be 

 mixed with some new element which makes this 

 flower actually more to me than the others. 



That something different, and something more, 

 is the human association which this flower has for 

 us in virtue of its colour ; and the new element 

 — the feeling it inspires, which has something of 

 tenderness and affection in it — is one and the 

 same with the feeling which we have for human 

 beauty. 



