IX 
we look for the virtues and graces of woman. The aspen 
shows her shrinking modesty ; the vine is illustrative of her 
clinging constancy, and tendency to lean on those she loves; 
the lily, the violet, the rose, are all emblematic of her pecu¬ 
liar attributes. Spring, Summer, Autumn, have each their 
respective tributes to bestow, but few things inspire more 
cheerful feelings than upon entering a comfortable sitting 
room on a Winter’s morning, to see the bright green leaves, 
and brilliant blossoms of some rare exotic, glowing in all the 
freshness of their summer glory. Flowers give such an assur¬ 
ance of welcome, speaking, as they do, so unequivocally of 
kindness, and care, and hospitality; they tell us of gentle hands 
which have tended them, fond glances which have watched 
them, and sweet voices which have whispered thoughts from 
the inmost fountains of the soul to their holy keeping. We 
know that there are pure and deep affections where the love 
of flowers dwells ; we feel that fancy and taste have an in¬ 
fluence there, and that hope and gladness consecrate the spot. 
I am apt to moralize sometimes, and seek for traits of char¬ 
acter where few would expect to discover them; hence, when 
I see flowers blooming so cheerfully within doors, and hear 
the storm whistling without, I know that the cold which has 
made me shiver would soon wither and destroy those fragile 
offerings of Nature, and am led to the reflection, that their 
feebleness and dependence have touched some tender chord 
in the sympathising heart of woman, and awakened that 
