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NOWDROP. Galanthus. Class 6, HEXANDRIA. Order: MONOGYNIA. The north wind whistles, and the hoar frost clothes the verdure-despoiled trees; an uniform white carpet covers the earth,-the birds withhold their tuneful song,-and the sealed waters cease to murmur as they roll along; the rays of the sun, enfeebled by the density of our atmosphere, shed a gloomy light over our fields; and the heart of man is sad, while all nature reposes in torpid tranquillity.

Thus Madame de La Tour describes the state of nature, when suddenly a delicate flower pierces through the veil of snow which had concealed it. It has been aptly termed by her countrymen Perce neige, from the quality just named; and is with equal propriety called snow-drop in America.

CONSOLATION.

The rose is for the nightingale,
The heather for the lark;

But the holly greets the red-breast
'Mid winter drear and dark;

And the snow-drop, waken'd by his song,

Peeps tremblingly forth,

From her bed of cold still slumber,
To gaze upon the earth.
For the merry voice above her
Seem'd a herald of the Spring,
As o'er the sleeping flowers
Blithe robin came to sing-
"Up, up! my lady snow-drop,
No longer lie in bed,

But dance unto my melody

And wave your graceful head."

TWAMLEY.

PIDERWORT. Anthericum. Class 6, HEXANDRIA. Order: MONOGYNIA. This plant is generally admitted as a border flower. The French have called it Ephémèrine de Virginie, because its flowers fade rapidly; they have also made it the emblem of transient happiness. The dead flowers are quickly succeeded by others, from April to the end of October.

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TRANSIENT HAPPINESS

Sweet, as the desert-fountain's wave
To lips just cool'd in time to save.

There comes

BYRON.

For ever something between us and what

We deem our happiness.

BYRON.

All who joy would win

Must share it-happiness was born a twin.

Like a frail shadow seen in maze,

BYRON.

Or some bright star shot o'er the ocean,

Is happiness, that meteor's blaze,

For ever fleeting in its motion.
It plays within our fancied grasp,
Like a phantasmagorean shade,
Pursued e'en to the latest grasp,
It still seems hovering in the glade.
'Tis but like hope, and hope's at best
A star that leads the weary on,
Still pointing to the unpossess'd,
And palling that it beams upon.

ANON.

TAR-WORT, CATESBY'S. Aster Grandiflorus. Class 19, SYNGENESIA. Order: SUPERFLUA. This North American plant has been made to represent afterthought, because it sends forth its flowers in the month of November, when most others have disappeared.

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AFTERTHOUGHT.

What is done cannot be now amended:
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
Which after-hours give leisure to repent.

SHAKSPEARE.

The drunkard, after all his lavish cups,
Is dry, and then is sober; so at length,
When you awake from this lascivious dream,
Repentance then will follow, like the sting
Placed in the adder's tail.

WEBSTER.

Habitual evils change not on a sudden,
But many days must pass, and many sorrows;
Conscious remorse, and anguish must be felt,
To curb desire, to break the stubborn will,
And work a second nature in the soul,
Ere virtue can resume the place she lost.

ROWE.

High minds of native pride and force,
Most deeply feel thy pangs, remorse!
Fear for their scourge mean villains have;
Thou art the torturer of the brave.

SCOTT.

Some who offend from a suspicious nature,
Will afterward such fair confession make
As turns e'en the offence into a favour.

BAILLIE.

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TAR-WORT, CATESBY'S. Aster Gra diflorus. Class 19, SYNGENESIA. Order SUPERFLUA. This North American pla has been made to represent afterthough because it sends forth its flowers in th mooth of November, when most others hav disappeared.

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