Flowers and Gardens 



But what is this scientific name when 

 compared with the Snowdrop'' of our 

 native tongue? How insignificant is that 

 nearer rendering of sensuous character and 

 colour, deeply capable as these are of ex- 

 pressing soul — of conveying the spiritual 

 meaning and essence, when placed beside 

 that which sets forth not form and aspect 

 merely, but the relation of these to what 

 we know of the plant, to the history of 

 its life and struggle, and all that most 

 endears it to our affections ! Such a name 

 as Galanthus only gives what we might 

 easily discern if the flower were a perfect 

 stranger, and even here it would be far 

 inferior to Snowdrop. But this is a very 

 small part of what we ought to see in the 

 flower. It is not the clustering associa- 

 tions merely — a word which we hate, on 

 their own principles, from its connection 

 with the school of Alison and Jeffrey — 

 but the exquisite manner in which it 

 symbolises the changes of the season 

 which gives it birth. This will best be 

 shown by closely studying the expres- 

 sion. Look at the flower as it first ap- 

 pears at the end of January, when winter 

 is closed, or at least its main strength 

 broken. The snow is thawing, the sky 

 overcast, not a single cheering sunbeam ; 



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