l80 THE BEAUTIFUL LADDER, 
the senses? This may be done without pro¬ 
fanity, but not now. When the higher lessons 
and purposes of the precious gift of flowers are 
understood, then it may be safe and proper to 
materialize them; but build the altar first, and 
worship the God who planted the first garden, 
and when man had forfeited his claim to the 
gracious boon, still, in his abundant mercy, left 
it possible for him to bring back intimations of 
the original Eden, where he might enjoy a sense 
of the divine presence. When the soul has 
been thus lifted upward and fed on celestial 
fruit, then, and not till then, erect the labor¬ 
atory and extract the virtues of bark and 
petals, appropriate balm and spicery, and let 
the eye linger and the appetite feast on the 
dainties, which are but the crumbs of the spir¬ 
itual banqueting. 
“ Those who are so much of the earth earthy 
as to fail of this spiritual discernment deserve, 
as much as did Adam, to be sent forth from the 
sacred precincts of a garden, banned against 
a re-entrance, lest they should again profane the 
sacred enclosure. These insensates are well de¬ 
serving the fate imposed upon the original 
offender: ‘ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou 
