54 
The happy flower smiled again. “ I heard Viola 
telling you her name yesterday,” she said; “I too 
was named in that land where men loved every thing 
beautiful. The people were beautiful themselves, 
as I have heard my mother say ; and the hills on 
which Anemones used to enjoy the cool breezes of 
spring, looked down upon groves that were filled 
with forms still more lovely and glorious than their 
own. It was a great while ago. Then they were 
happy, and no rude sounds of war or discord ever 
came into that holy land.* When the soldier came 
to its borders, he would lay down his sword, and his 
soul was filled with high and noble thoughts, in¬ 
spired by the beautiful forms that peopled every 
valley and crowned every hill. Now it is all de¬ 
spoiled. Wicked men have been there, and stained 
the grass with blood, and trodden down the flowers, 
* Elis. 
