PREFACE. 
When Nature laughs out in all the tri¬ 
umph of Spring, it may be said, without a 
metaphor, that, in her thousand varieties of 
flowers, we see the sweetest of her smiles; 
that, through them, we comprehend the ex¬ 
ultation of her joys; and that, by them, she 
wafts her songs of thanksgiving to the hea¬ 
ven above her, which repays her tribute of 
gratitude with looks of love. Yes, flowers 
have their language. Theirs is an oratory 
