28 
THE HEPATICA. 
EMBLEM OF CONFIDENCE. 
Corne forth, ye lovely heralds of the Spring; 
Leave at your Maker’s call your earthly bed ; 
At his behest your grateful tribute bring 
To ligbt and life, from darkness and the dead. 
Barton. 
The earth’s embroidery then hâve ye eyed, 
And smile of blossoms, purple, red, and white, 
Their vernal-tinctured leaves, luxurious, dyed 
In Flora’s livery, painted by the light. 
W. Thomson. 
The Hepatica is indigenous to many continental coun- 
tries ; it grows abundantly in Sweden ; and is a native 
also of Switzerland, France, Italy, and Spain. These 
plants were once considered a species of the genus 
Anemone, and, though a différence in the formation of 
the fiower has caused them to he regarded as a dis¬ 
tinct genus, they are included in the same natural 
order, Ranunculaceæ. 
In this we find many of our field and garden 
favourites. The garden Ranunculuses of oriental 
