70 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES 



condition ; the other ponderous, morose, flabby — 

 complexion, gamboge and green. Not knowing their 

 real appellations, I named them in my own mind 

 Doleful and Gaylad, after two foxhounds of my 

 acquaintance. Doleful soon found the fox he 

 wanted — something to decry and depreciate ; and 

 he gave tongue with a deep melancholy howl, which 

 might have been the last sad wail of poor Gelert. 

 Gaylad simultaneously, but in an opposite direction, 

 went away with his fox — something to admire and 

 praise ; but his tone was full of mirth and music, and 

 he seemed thoroughly to enjoy the sport. Doleful 

 had just growled to me in confidence that he 

 * wouldn't have the place as a gift,' when Gaylad 

 pronounced it 'a jolly little spot,' and told the 

 occupier, who was hard at work, that this nursery 

 did him credit. I found out, as we returned, that 

 these two men were competitors in the same class ; 

 and I found, as I anticipated, on entering the show 

 that Gaylad was first, and Doleful nowhere. Sub- 

 sequently, at the dinner, and as I again expected, 

 Mr. Doleful informed us that his defeat was to be 

 attributed entirely to the wretched nature of his soil ; 

 a remark which was received with a graceful silence 

 by the company in general, and by Mr. Gaylad in 

 particular with a festive wink. 



Some soils, we all know, are naturally more 



