156 April and May Flowers. 



pretended no title to them, took in his fields ; for I coul 1 

 there quietly, and looking on the water, see some fishes sport th 



selves in the silver streams,others leaping at flies of several sha 

 and colors ; looking on the hills, I could behold them spJ^ 

 with woods and groves ; looking down the meadows, col) 



see, here a boy gathering lilies and ladysmocks, and there 

 girl cropping culverkeys and cowslips, all to make garland" 

 suitable to this present month of May. I say, as I thus 

 joying in my own happy condition, and pitying this poor rich 

 man that owned this and many other pleasant groves and 

 meadows about me, I did thankfully remember what my Savio 

 said, that the meek possess the earth ; or rather, they enjov 

 what the others possess and enjoy not, for anglers (botanists) 

 and meek, quiet-spirited men are free from those high, those 

 restless thoughts, which corrode the sweets of life. There 

 came also into my mind at that time, certain verses in praise 

 of a mean estate and an humble mind. They were written by 

 Phineas Fletcher, in which you shall see the picture of this 

 good man's mind ; and I wish mine to be like it. 



* This certain life, that never can deceive him, 



So full of thousand sweets and rich content ; 

 The smooth leaved beeches in the field receive him, 

 With coolest shade, till noontide's heat be spent; 

 His life is neither tossed in boisterous seas, 

 Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease : 

 Pleased and full blest he lives, when he his God can please.' " 



Among the more common wild flowers of April and May, 

 are several of the Ranunculaceae. Everybody knows the 

 Butter Cup, Ranunculus acris, which begins to flower in May, 

 and soon covers whole fields with the brilliant yellow of its 

 petals. Several other species flower about the same time, and 

 some continue in flower till July and August. The Meadow 

 Rue, Thalictrum dioicum, is also a May flower, and the Ane- 

 mone, nemorosa, or wind-flower, is one of the earliest in April, 

 except the Hepatica triloba, which is earlier than all. Theso 

 two last are to be found on the sunny sides of hills, near old 

 woods. Who that has pursued the " windings bright and 

 mazy like the snake" of a trout stream in May, albeit intent 

 on the capture of its speckled inhabitants, and ever and anon 



