The Violet. 23 



reflected upon it until he became so prepossessed with the flower 

 that he dreamed of it. This circumstance inspired him with a 

 desire of becoming acquainted with plants ; he therefore learned, 

 for that purpose, as much Latin as was necessary, and soon be- 

 came the most learned Botanist in the new world. Whatever 

 is conducive to man's enjoyment or comfort, is sure to be widely 

 disseminated for his benefit, and always within his reach ; the 

 Violet, consequently, is found in all parts of the world ; it dis- 

 putes the palm of supremacy with the Rose even in its own Per- 

 sian home. It came originally from the south of Europe, yet 

 there is at present no land with whose memory it is not embalm- 

 ed in song. Howitt, in speaking of a morning walk, says, — All 

 unexpectedly, in some embowered lane, you are arrested by the 

 delicious odor of Violets, those sweetest of Flora's children, 

 which have furnished so many beautiful allusions to the poets, 

 and which are not yet exhausted ; they are like true friends, we 

 do not know half their sweetness till they have felt the sunshine 

 of our kindness, and again, they are like the pleasures of our 

 childhood, the earliest and the most beautiful. [A sentiment in 

 which the Editor begs leave to differ from Howitt; he cannot 

 understand why Christians should take so much delight in re- 

 calling babyish recollections; if they have no enjoyment, the 

 fault is surely their own ; and as day after day passes away, and 

 the termination of their pilgrimage draws nigh, if they feel not 

 the gales of refreshing from the Land of Promise, he thinks they 

 ought to examine narrowly the road if it be the straight and narrow 

 path.] In March, they are seen in all their glory, blue and white, 

 modestly peering through the thick clustering leaves. 



This genus is in the Class Pentandria ; Order Monogynia 

 It is characterized by the— Calyx, five-leaved; corolla, five- 

 petalled, irregular, horned at the back; anthers, cohering; cap- 

 sules, superior, one-celled, three-valved. First in the rank of 

 species we will take the Blue Violet — Viola Odorata Pur- 

 purea. This is an evergreen creeper, with heart-shaped, scal- 

 loped, smooth leaves ; the flower-cup obtuse ; and the two lateral 

 leaves of the blossom with a bearded or hairy line. The run- 

 ners are furnished with fibrous roots, and send up annually tufts 

 of leaves and flowers ; these last are on the summits of delicate, 

 four-cornered stalks, which spring directly from the root; the 

 leaves of the blossom are longer than those of the flower-cup, 



