56 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
long winter ; they already represent 
every quarter and almost every moun- 
tain region of the globe. Some kinds 
thrive wonderfully well, such as the 
Mountain Poppies (^Papaver nudicaule 
and alpinum) which have spread every- 
where, giving birth to endless natural 
hybrids of the daintiest forms and col- 
ours. These, especially in varieties of 
P. alpinum^ have even broken the 
bounds of the garden, and may be found 
in all directions — on the railway banks 
and cuttings, in crevices of the rock, 
and the beaten tracks leading to the 
summit, and even upon the tiled roof 
of the hotel itself Alpine Sea Holly 
(Rryngium alpinum) grows in spread- 
ing masses of great beauty, here and 
there, in different spots and aspects, with 
a rich succession of colour. Here and 
there, also, the Edelweiss lies in a thick 
white carpet, or is scattered in broad 
flakes, whilst Eritrichium 7ia7ium and 
many Androsaces of the high peaks are 
at home. Even a few exotic plants have 
made themselves happy in this alpine j 
fastness, such things as Viola cor77uta^ 
Campa7iula pulla^ Dia7ithus 7ieglectus^ | 
2in.dGera7tiumci7iereu7n. Such is a rapid j 
review of the more important of the 
alpine botanical gardens of Europe. 
The visit of the congress to the gar- 
den at Rambertia was closed by a con- 
ference of delegates in furtherance of the 
aims of the congress, and the passing of 
the following resolutions : — (i) That 
friendly relations be maintained with 
other alpine gardens, including, where 
possible, the exchange of seed lists ; 
and (2) that a formal report of the pro- 
ceedings be published with a view to 
the holding of future gatherings, and 
as tending to popularise the cultiva- 
tion of alpine plants under natural con- 
ditions. HENRY CORREVON. 
SONGS OF THE WOODS AND FLOWERS : The 
Sage and the Three Young Men. 
Un octogenaire plantoit. 
Passe encor de bdtir j mais planter a cet age. 
Disoient trois jouvenceaux, enfants du voisinage 
Assur^ment il radotoit. 
Car., au nom des dieux,je vous prie. 
Quel fruit de ce labeur pouvez-vous recueillir? 
Autant qu'un patriarcTie il vous faudroit vieillir. 
A quoi bon charger votre vie 
Des sains d'un avenir qui n' est pas fait pour vous ? 
Ne songez desormais gu'd vos erreurs passees. 
Quittez le long espoir et les vastes pens^es ; 
Tout cela ne convient qu'a nous. 
II ne convient pas d vous-memes, 
Repartit le vieillard. Tout etablissement 
Vient tard et dure peu. La main des Parques blemes 
De vos jours et des miens se joue egalement. 
Nos termes sont pareils par leur courte duree. 
Qui de nous des clartes de la vonte azuree 
Doit jouir le dernier f Est-il aucun moment 
Qui vous puisse assurer dun second seulement ? 
Mes arriere-neveux me devront cet ombrage : 
He bien ! defendez-vous au sage 
De se donner des soins pour le plaisir d'autrui? 
Cela meme est un fruit que je go file aujourd'hui : 
fen puis jouir donain, et quelques jours encore; 
Je puis enfin compter Paurore 
Plus cTune fois sur vos tombeaux. 
Le vieillard eut raison : Pun des trois jouvenceaux 
Se noya des le port., allant a PAtn^riguej 
L'autre, afin de monter aux grandes dignite's, 
Dans les emplois de Mars servant la republique. 
Par un coup imprevu vit ses jours emporth; 
Le troisieme tomba dun arbre 
Que lui-meme il voulut enter : 
Etpleures du vieillard., il grava sur leur marbre 
Ce que je viens de raconter. 
Cobbett's Translation : — A man of four-score was 
planting trees. "To build might pass ; but, to plant at 
such an age," exclaimed three young men of the neigh- 
bourhood. "Surely," said they, " you are doting; for, in 
God's name, what reward can you receive for this, unless 
you were to live as long as one of the Patriarchs? What 
good can there be in loading your life with cares about a 
time which you are never destined to see ? Pray devote 
the rest of your days to thoughts of your past errors ; 
give up distant and grand expectations ; these become 
only young men, such as we." " They become not even 
you," answered the old man. " All we do comes late, and 
is quickly gone. The pale hand of fate sports equally with 
your days and mine. The shortness of our lives puts us 
all on a level. Who can say which of us shall last behold 
the light of heaven? Can any moment of your lives secure 
you even a second moment ? My great grand-children 
will owe shady groves to me : and, do not blame me for 
providing delights for others ! Why, the thought of this 
is, of itself, a reward which I already enjoy ; I may enjoy 
it to-morrow, and for some days after that ; nay, I may 
more than once even see the sun rise on your graves." 
The old man was right ; one of the three, ambitious to 
see the New World, was drowned in the port ; another, 
pursuing fame in the service of Mars, was suddenly stopped 
by an unexpected shot ; the third fell from a tree, on 
which he himself was putting a graff : and the old man, 
lamenting their sad end, engraved on their tomb the 
story here related. 
