Preface 



'The papers published in this little volume 

 were written to solace the languor of the last 

 months of life^ when a malady^ which had 

 crept by slow approaches upon him^ broke 

 down his strength^ and arrested a professional 

 career which had begun but recently. They 

 betoken a mind gifted with quick^ deary and 

 delicate perception^ independency of judgment^ 

 and unsparing truthfulness. These were my 

 friend'' s characteristic gifts. They are dimly 

 mirrored in these pages^ but more clearly in 

 the memory of those who knew him well. To 

 them this little volume will be welcome^ 

 because of him : to others^ perchance^ it may 

 be welcome for the worth it has^ because it 

 tells of the beauty there is in God^s fairest 

 frailest handiwork in flowers^ and bears some 

 trace of the rarer amaranthine beauty of a 

 soul which wore the white flower of a 

 blameless life.'*' 



J. B. PATON. 



vii 



