EADOW SWEET. Spirea Ulmaria. 12, ICOSANDRIA. Order: PENTAGYNIA. plant, called by the French "Reine prés," is deemed an useless herb, bec herbalists have not discovered any med properties in it; and, also, because anir reject it as food. It is, however, a hig ornamental flower, and surely that ought to be accounted so

thing.

USELESSNESS.

From worldly cares himself he did esloin,
And greatly shunned manly exercise;
From every work he challenged essoin,
For contemplation sake: yet otherwise,
His life he led in lawless riotise

By which he grew to grievous malady;
For in his lustless limbs through evil guise,
A shaking fever reign'd continually ;

Such one was Idleness.

SPENSER.

Who doth to sloth his younger days engage,
For fond delight, he clips the wings of fame;
For sloth, the canker-worm of honour's badge,
Fame's feather'd wings doth fret; burying the name
Of virtue's worth in dust of dunghill shame,
Whom action out of dust to light doth bring,
And makes her mount to heav'n with golden wing.

What is a man,

ANON.

If his chief good and market of his time

Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.

Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not

That capability and god-like reason
To rust in us unused.

SHAKSPEARE.

EZEREON. Daphne Mezereon. Class 8, OCTANDRIA. Order: MONOGYNIA. The stem of this plant is covered with a dry bark, which gives it the appearance of dead wood. To hide this, nature has surrounded each of its branches with a garland of purple flowers, which, unrolled in spiral form, and tipped with a small tuft of leaves, seems to assume the form of a pine-apple.

This fragrant and much-admired shrubbery plant frequently flourishes towards the end of January, appearing as it were in the breast of snows, reclad in its charming attire. It is regarded as the emblem of an imprudent and coquettish nymph, who, in the midst of winter, arrays herself in the robes of spring.

DESIRE TO PLEASE.

Mezereon too,

Though leafless, well attired, and thick beset
With blushing wreaths, investing every spray.
COWPER.

Then in a kiss she breathed her various arts,
Of trifling prettily with wounded hearts;
A mind for love, but still a changing mind,
The lisp affected, and the glance design'd;
The sweet confusing blush, the secret wink,
The gentle swimming walk, the courteous sink;
The stare for strangeness fit, for scorn the frown;
For decent yielding, looks declining down;
The practised languish, where well-feign'd desire
Would own its melting in a mutual fire;
Gay smiles to comfort; April showers to move;
And all the nature, all the art of love.

PARNELL.

IGNONETTE. Reseda Odorata. Class 11, DODECANDRIA. Order: TRIGYNIA. The odour exhaled by this little flower is thought by some to be too powerful for the house; but even those persons, we presume, must be delighted with the fragrance which it throws from the balconies into the streets of the city, giving something like a breath of garden air to the 'close-pent man,' whose avocations will not permit a ramble beyond the squares of the fashionable part of the town.

YOUR QUALITIES SURPASS YOUR CHARMS.

-no

Now look ye on the plain and modest guise
Of yon unlovely flower—unlovely? ·
Not beautiful, 't is true-not touch'd with hues
Like her's we late have gazed on; but so rich
In precious fragrance is that lovely one,
So loved for her sweet qualities, that I
Should woo her first amid a world of flowers;
For she is like some few beloved ones here,
Whom eyes, perchance, might slightingly pass o'er,
But whose true wisdom, gentleness, and worth,
Unchanging friendship, ever-faithful love,
And countless minor beauties of the mind,
Attach our hearts in deep affection still.

TWAMLEY.

No gorgeous flowers the meek reseda grace,
Yet sip with eager trunk yon busy race
Her simple cup, nor heed the dazzling gem
That beams in Fritillaria's diadem.

EVANS.

the gathering of it;

ISLETOE. Viscum Alba. Class 22, DICIA. Order: TETRANDRIA. This plant, especially when found growing on the oak, was held in the greatest veneration by the Druids, which, having no attachment to earth, they considered to be of celestial origin. The utmost solemnity was used in it took place always at the close of the year, when the moon was just six days old. Two white bulls, which had never felt the yoke, were fastened by their horns to the fortunate oak whereon the misletoe had been discovered; a priest, clad in a white vesture, then ascended the tree, and detached the plant with a golden hook or bill, whilst others stood ready to receive it in a white woollen cloth: this done, they then prepared to offer the best of their flocks and herds in sacrifice, " mumbling many orisons, and praying devoutly that it would please God to bless this gift of his to the good and benefit of all those to whom he had vouchsafed to give it." Water, in which it had been steeped, they considered a panacea for diseases of every description; hence the name they gave it, "omnia sanans," or "all-heal.”

PARASITE.

"A parasite! I would not be,

For worlds, that servile thing;
Not royalty itself, from me

E'er homage won of heart or knee;
To Power I would not cling
(Like this vile plant to oaken bough),
Though it had kingdoms to bestow!"

'Tis proudly said — yet pause. for Power

A crown not always wears;

Oft hundred-headed (as of yore

The monster, famed in classic lore,)

Its Proteus-form appears:

And thus disguised from mortal ken

Hast thou ne'er worshipp'd in its train? ANON.

The secret by her tongue conceal'd,
Her fading charms declare,
And what by words is unreveal'd,
Is better written there;

The silent tale by sorrow traced,
Of young affections run to waste.'

The radiance of her downcast eye
Is shadow'd by a tear,
Faint as the light of evening's sky,
That tells the night is near;-
The long, the moonless night of rest,
When life is waning in its west.

And seems her cheek, whose bloom is fled
(So beautiful and brief),

As if the white rose there had shed
Its frail and fallen leaf;

Which summer's genial sun and rain
Shall never wake to life again.

But she is hastening to the bowers
That bloom in happier spheres;
Where fond affection's fadeless flowers

Shall not be nurst by tears;

Where love's pure flame shall ne'er expire,

Nor kill the heart that feeds its fire.

ANON.