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Tliough born beneath a sunnier sky, and nourished by a 
kindlier soil than ours, yet the pure, the fragi-ant, the modest, 
maidenly Jasmine has become unto us as an old familiar 
friend, and is now as well laiown, and as frequently seen 
climbing round the cottage-porch, as our own luscious Honey¬ 
suckle. I love to see them twining together, the stranger 
and the native, and wooing into kindly companionship the 
delicate China-rose, with her clustered blossoms of faint pink, 
contrasting so well with the deep rich crimson of the unclosed 
buds. 
We derive another pleasure, even greater than the fair 
flowers themselves can give, when we see the walls of many 
a lowly cottage which we pass in our Summer rambles, covered 
with sweet and oftentimes rare plants, trained even along the 
thatched roof and round the chimney-stack, with their blossoms 
peering in at the open lattice, and hanging in draperies gayer 
and more graceful than ever decked a Royal Hall, over the 
rude rough-hewn door-way. When we see a Cottage so full 
of beauty without, we may safely conclude there is a guiding 
mind within; and drawing a natural comparison between the 
culture and propagation of plants and knowledge, we cannot 
but rejoice to see the Jasmine, which on its first introduction 
into England was only attainable by the great and wealthy, 
for the adornment of their “ Banqueting Houses,” now equally 
possessed by the poor labourer, in his humble cabin garden. 
Nor can we see this, without gladly feeling that thoughts and 
things far more precious have spread to an equal extent, and 
are now alike available to Prince and Peasant. 
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