Penetrating beyond the surface of things, a botanist may observe the lowly violet, and the mean "wall-grown hyssop," are cared for, by providence, as much as the loftiest oak of Basan, or Lebanon's more lofty cedar.

Historic as well as legendary lore, abounds with floral symbolism. Besides the murmuring Jonas, others have doubtless received a salutary lesson, from the short-lived Ivy. A forcible illustration of God's trinal unity, was suggested to the apostle of Ireland, by the trefoil, which helped to remove a royal enquirer's doubts, regarding Christianity's chief dogma. By pointing to a shamrock with three leaves on one stem, St. Patrick is said to have removed the obstacle to a pagan monarch's conversion. Hence, Hibernia's respect for the time-honoured,

"and chosen leaf

Of bard and chief,

Old Erin's native shamrock."

Flowers and evergreens, also, are wreathed round the cradle, the shrine, and the tomb. When they take root and blossom on the grave of a departed friend, they may be regarded as emblems of his future resurrection in a better world. They serve likewise to garland the voluntary victims of cloistered sacrifice, as well as to adorn the candidates for wedded love. Moreover:

"Loveliest flowers of humble birth,
Embroiderers of the carpet earth,

That stud the velvet sod;
Open to Spring's refreshing rain,
In Summer's smiling bloom declare,
Their Maker and their God."

If in the skies above, the "Southern Cross" exhibits a memorial of man's redemption, the earth has, also, a not

disimilar memento, in the Passiflora or passion flower. Of this plant, there are no less than 40 species known to botanists. The leaves and petals of this singular flower, faintly resemble the various instruments of Christ's pas sion, viz:—the cross, the nails, the fetters, and ten (not twelve) apostles (Simon and Judas being excepted).

The passion flower's inner circle, round the centre of the shaft, represents the thorny crown, the radiance, and the glory. There is also a white tinted spot, which brings to memory, the winding sheet; there is also, a visible blue tinge, the hue of Heaven. Although it remains in bloom but a few days, the sad and holy "Passion flower," is suggestive of less transitory hopes, and aspirations. It symbolises the triduum, that intervened betwen Christ's burial and resurrection. Hence these typical "Passiflora” deserve the following encomiastic lines:—

"What, though not thine, the roses brilliant glow,
Or, odour of the gifted violet,

Or dew, with which, the lily's cheek is wet,
Though thine would seem the pallid streaks of woe;
The drops, that from the fount of sorrow flow:

Thy purple tints of shame; though strange, appear
The types of torture, thou art doomed to wear,
Yet, blooms for me, no hue like thine below,

For from thee, breathes the odour of a name,
Whose sweetness melts my soul, and dims my eyes;
And in thy mystic leaves of woe and shame,

I read a fact, to which my heart replies,

In voiceless throbbing, and devoted sighs,

Death's darkest agony, and mercy's claim.

And Love's last words of grief are written in thy dyes."

To the passion flower the following, also, may not inappropriately be addressed :—

"What have I chiefly learned from human life?
That life as brief as thine, may yet be good;
That life's best blessings, are the joys we tread
To death unseen, chasing inventions vain ;

That He who made thee, made the heaven and earth,
And man, and that in God is life alone;

To serve him,-freedom; and to know him,—peace.

But, earthly plantations are not the only testimonies to the Most High. In ocean's depths, are orchards, gardens, and bowers. Although comparatively little known, yet some interesting evidence, may be drawn from submarine vegetation. Even seaweeds are not undeserving of notice. Were they gifted with utterance, like their musing advocate, they might, also, exclaim:

"Call us not weeds, we are flowers of the sea,

For lovely and bright, and gay tinted are we,
Our blush is as deep, as the rose of earth's bowers;
Then call us not weeds, we are Ocean's gay flowers;
Not nursed like the plants of a garden parterre,
Where gales are but sighs of an evening air :

Our exquisite, fragile, and delicate forms,

Are nursed by the Ocean, and rocked by its storms."

With this scant notice of a vast watery province, it is time, for brevity's sake, to take leave of floral witnesses, from Nature's vegetable kingdom. In doing so, it may be as well to consider how much more fragrant, beautiful, and lovely must be the ever-verdant trees, and unfading flowers, irrigated by a river, that flows through God's own garden of paradise!

In short, "as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth her seed to shoot forth, so shall the Lord God make justice to spring forth, and praise be for

all nations.” (Is. lxxii.) “Not only shall the rivers clap hands, but the mountains, the forests, and sylvan trees shall rejoice in the presence of God, because he cometh to judge the earth."

The all Beneficent! we bless thy name,

That thou hast mantled the green earth with flowers;

Receive

“Thanks, blessing, love, for these thy lavish boons,
And most of all their heavenward influences;
O! Thou, that gav'st us flowers!"

CHAPTER X.

THE EVIDENCE OF BEASTS, BIRDS, AND FISHES.THE DOG, THE HORSE, THE LION, THE LAMB, BEHEMOTH (OR THE ELEPHANT), AND OTHER LAND ANIMALS. THE SHARK, THE WHALE, THE STURGEON, AND OTHER FINNY TRIBES. THE EAGLE, THE DOVE, THE SWALLOW, THE WREN'S NEST, ETC.

AND God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature in its kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, according to their kinds; and it was so done." (Gen. i.) The Lord hath spoken, "I will testify to thee I am God, thy God; all the beasts of the field are mine,-I know all the fowls of the air." (Ps. xxix.) The beasts of the field have looked up to (God) as a garden bed that thirsteth after rain." (Joel.) Who teacheth us more than the beasts; and instructeth us more than the fowls? (Job. xxxv.) "The Lord giveth to beasts their food; and to the young ravens, that call upon Him." (Ps.) Opening His hand, the Lord filleth every animal with blessings. Therefore, let "beasts and all cattle, serpents and feathered fowls, praise the Lord!" (Ps. cxlviii.)

Speaking of himself, the Lord said, by his prophet: "the beasts of the field shall glorify me, the dragon and the ostriches, because I have given water in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people." (Is. 1.)

The privileged children of men have also been admit