86 
BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 
where the mind sinks into sweetest dreams, and all our past 
readings of old lore, poetry, and Holy Writ take shapes, 
and float before us like realities ! Think of the mid-day 
summer glow of all things when the parterres burn with 
colour, and the cool green grass defies the sun to brown 
one ravel of its mossy carpet; think of the “ quiet cigar,” 
all alone in seraphic contemplation; think of the in-door 
readings of the works of men who have loved gardens, 
from Bacon to Wordsworth, whose avenues of hollyhocks 
were the pride of Bydal; think of the summer visits to 
the gardens of friends to make notes of comparison; the 
trips to botanic gardens, not forgetting fetes and exhibi¬ 
tions, where the genuine gardener has pleasures that the 
mere sight-seer knows nothing of; think of the pride 
with which you show your friends over your ground, and 
display your stock to those that have sympathies kindred 
with your own; and think of the fame you acquire in 
your circle as a clever gardener, a man of worth, a gentle¬ 
man, and a Christian, for you must be all these to love a 
garden rightly, and then say if there is any pursuit be¬ 
sides this that can match it in its fullness of joy, that 
can take its place for even one hour; for it comprehends 
the love of Nature in its most extended meaning; it com¬ 
prehends the love of man in the reality of affectionate 
kindness, good-will, and sober behaviour; and it com¬ 
prehends the love of God, in the daily witnessing of His 
works in their loveliest of aspects ! Who would not be a 
jolly gardener ? Who would not have at least some living 
flowery thing to set an earthly love upon; who would 
not ever keep at least one flower near the heart, to cheer 
it in a gloomy hour, and read it an easily-learnt lesson 
