THE LOVE OF FLOWERS. 
803 
inerrj faces in the glassy stream. Come to the thick 
brake, and lie down upon the grass till thou hast for¬ 
gotten all the cares of life. Doth not thy heart now 
throb with emotions of thankfulness to God, for making 
the earth so fair, so redolent of beauty, in its garniture 
of flowers ? and for having scattered these silent teachers 
up and down the world—things of beauty and joys for 
ever ? The soul must be fed; we must have inspiration 
from stars, and sunbeams, and flowers,—and not be 
always chewing corn. We must hear the voice of God 
in the elements, in the winds and the waves, the rattling 
of the thunder, and the howling of the storm. We must 
see His face in every flower, and feel His breath in the 
odour of forest leaves and banks of wild thyme. Now, 
dost thou not long to be a child once more, and to live 
out thy days in one frenzy of joy ? Wouldst thou shrink 
from cold hearts, and disappointments, and regrets, and 
live for the love of flowers only ?—to gather round thee 
glowing visions of floral loveliness; to fill the air with 
angel shapes and rainbow hues ; to breathe an atmo¬ 
sphere of perfume like that which floats over the green 
pastures of Paradise; to feel the sense overwhelmed with 
droppings of rich music, as though angel lutes were 
tuning their anthems to the Omnipotent; and, amid the 
grand symphonies of nature, to feel the soul hallowed and 
becalmed, as the sea in summer time, when the winds 
have gone to sleep upon its bosom ? 
Nature is the property of all. Plowers are the minis¬ 
ters of her commonwealth. They bloom for old and 
young, rich and poor; and, to every true heart, are mes¬ 
sengers from heaven 1 The great duty of flowers is to 
