158 TRE ASSOCIATIONS OF FLOWERS 
heavens, and sweet melodies of birds, and murmurings of 
waters, and sounds of playful and healthful breezes, and 
all the beauties and choruses innumerable, which are to 
render 
“ The mind a mansion for all lovely forms, 
The memory as a dwelling-place 
For all sweet sounds and harmonies,” 
which may soothe them in coming years of sorrow or toil. 
They will not, perchance, any of them be poets ; yet there 
is somewhat of the spirit of poetry in many a human heart, 
and it is seen when the toil-worn man turns him back to 
the scenes of his childhood, and expatiates on the rural 
joys which he then knew, and snatches a moment from 
busy thought to shut his eyes on the world, and bring 
before his mind the grassy turf and the flower-crowned 
stream, once so familiar, and never to be forgotten. 
Happy are the children whose home is in the country ! 
Happy not alone the child of the rich, but the little cot- 
tager ! Nay, it is more especially among the latter class 
that we are led to this remark; for we instinctively com- 
pare him with the poor child of the town, where, in some 
narrow alley, groups of little ones play amidst the dirt, 
breathing the impure and confined air, and exhibiting, to 
its full extent, the saying of Lamb, “ that the children of 
the poor are often dragged up, not brought up.” The 
wide-spreading meadow is the scene of the early sports of 
the peasant child; his first companions the young lambs 
and summer flowers. His labours are fitted to inspire him 
with cheerful feelings ; and he drives the birds from the 
field, or wanders with the cattle down the green lane, or 
otherwise joins in rustic employ, with as light a heart as 
the morning bird or the evening grasshopper. 
How beautiful are the little islands of the stream, edged 
with the tall, white meadow-sweet, which sends its per- 
fume far up over the green lands that lie around, and 
contrasts with the deep lilac colour of the purple loose- 
strife! The willow herb, or codlins-and-cream, as chil- 
dren call it, grows in perfection there; and there, too, 
bloom the tall yellow water-flag, and the vetches, and the 
rich water-lily, which, seated on its round leaf, seems to 
