OF GARDENS. 
215 
lovingkindness extended itself to sparrows at a time when our 
pages were filled with a controversy — which we have no inten- 
tion of reopening — regarding those saucy imps.* Now she finds 
a fresh excuse for their ways : “ it is the shape of their blunt, 
coarse beaks that affects their whole nature ! ” 
We must not forget that we have two other books to notice, 
but we cannot leave this “garden of pleasure ” without calling 
attention to its quaint illustrations. How many years ago it is 
since we delighted in E. V. B.’s illustrations to The Story without 
an End we do not care to remember, but the hand which 
drew those has not lost its cunning, and the little cuts add an 
additional charm to an otherwise charming book. 
Canon Ellacombe’s volume is also illustrated, but we do not 
think the pictures add to its attractiveness. They are well 
enough in themselves, but have little connection with the text, 
and give the impression that they have done duty elsewhere. 
Publishers are over- fond nowadays of using up old blocks in 
new books, forgetting that illustrations that do not illustrate are 
rather worse than none at all. Mr. Rylands’ pictures of the 
months are pretty enough in themselves, but have nothing in 
common with Canon Ellacombe’s chapters ; while the ugly, 
foreign - looking block called “a Devonshire lane’’ bears no 
reference to “ brambles and thistles,” although it is stuck into the 
middle of the chapter so headed. The omission of all the illus- 
trations would remove the only blot upon this delightful book. 
The name which is given to the whole volume applies in 
strictness only to the first part, which treats of observations 
made from month to month in Canon Ellacombe’s garden at 
Bitton, to w’hich are added many interesting notes on the asso- 
ciation which the various plants suggest. Bitton is a familiar 
name to the lover of herbaceous plants, and many treasures have 
found their way thence to gardens up and down the country. 
Canon Ellacombe’s book has a more literary flavour than i\Irs. 
Boyle’s ; those who know his former writings -are aware that 
he is intimately acquainted with the old herbalists, not in the 
style of those writers who quote (at second or third hand) “ dear 
old Gerarde ” (always with the final e, which he himself does 
not seem to have used), but from frequent consultation ; and his 
citations from them, like his poetical quotations, are unhackneyed 
and well chosen. The books he refers to incidentally show that 
he has a thorough knowledge of the best garden literature ; we 
note with pleasure the tribute paid to the charms of a too little 
known book, now, we believe, out of print — Dr. Forbes Watson’s 
Flowers and Gardens. 
The associations of certain flowers with certain people are 
often referred to, and Cardinal Newman’s touching reference to 
the snapdragon is quoted from the Apologia. This seems to have 
See Nature Notes, 1892, p. 109. 
