198 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES 



chemical books. We might have pictures, after the 

 manner of our dear old ' Garrick ' in King Street, 

 of some famous chiefs who had conferred real benefits 

 upon the gardening world. How glad we should be, 

 for instance, to see a good likeness of *the Doctor,' 

 and of quaint old Donald Beaton, with replicas from 

 the pictures, in the Council-room of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society at Kensington and elsewhere, of 

 Rivers, Veitch, Marnock, and many more! 



^ My dear fellow,' said to me a young person, 

 whom, after going through his admirable gardens 

 and houses, and hearing his professions of interest, 

 I had mistaken for a florist, and to whom I had 

 incautiously revealed my club aspirations, * you surely 

 don't suppose I should meet my gardener!' And he 

 ,wore an expression of horror, as though I had asked 

 him to join a select party of lepers and ticket-of- 

 leavers. * Calm yourself,' I made answer ; ' there is 

 no fear of collision. You would not be elected, I 

 assure you.' Fancy a fellow pretending to be fond 

 of art, and wincing at the idea of meeting an artist ! 

 More than this, he who knows and reverences the 

 gardener's art (and I would admit no other to our 

 club) must be a gentleman. He may not, in some 

 few instances, be aware that to leave out the h in 

 horse - radish, or to sound the same in honour, is 

 an offence less pardonable than profane swearing ; 



