Mignonette and Convolvulus.

How well two maidens may be imaged here!
One in Convolvulus' all beauteous face,
That with the richest colour deeply glows
Conscious and proud of her great loveliness;
And then in Mignonette's meek humble form,
Without one tint upon her modest garb
To draw the idle stare of wandering eyes,
Which greedily the other's beauty drink

How well the young and fair are here shown forth!
For some, aye many, prize a rosy cheek,
A sparkling eye-or lip where rubies strive,
With coral the bright mastery to gain

Above all other wealth-E'en like this flower
The gay Convolvulus, which spreads her form
Of fragile short-lived loveliness before

The flattering beams of the deceitful sun,
And basks her in his light, and thinks, poor bud!
Of foolish vanity-that such will last;
But soon the noontide glare falls scorchingly
Upon her waning charms-she hangs her head—-
The boasted beauty shrivels and decays,
And outward show her only gift is gone.

Now look you on the plain and modest maid,
The unlovely Mignonette-unlovely?—No!

Not beautiful 'tis true--not touched with hues
Like hers we late have gazed on; but so rich
In precious fragrance is that lowly 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 with
Unchanging friendship, even faithful love,
And countless minor beauties of the mind
Attach our hearts in deep affection still.

From "The Romance of Nature."

The Mignonette (Réséda).

BEAUTIES OF THE MIND.

ROM the Latin word resedo, to appease,

FRO

to quiet, to calm, from its supposed soothing influence. The English popular name of the flower is derived from the French, and means little darling, probably from its fragility, subdued colouring and delicate beauty. This favourite plant is a native of Egypt, and on account of the delicious perfume of its flowers, is admitted into every garden; the wind often blows its seed on walls, where it takes root, and springs up quickly; it is a small plant with a slender branched stem, and with greenish flowers. The "nodding spikes of this plant follow the course of the sun even when the sky is clouded, pointing towards the east in the morning, to the south at noon, and the north at night." The whole plant is pale green with smooth shining leaves, it will sow itself, and come again year after year in the same place in our gardens, delighting us with its fragrance. Its near relative, the wild Mignonette, or dyer's

weed or weld, though it has not the charm of that favourite in its delicious scent, yet reminds us of it, and has properties more useful, though perhaps not so attractive. It is much taller than its cousin, its tall stem growing from two to three feet high; we may see it on sea cliffs, stony fields, and other rocky places; it used to be planted on chalk or limestone hills, where nothing else would grow, and was gathered in July, bound up in bundles, and hung up to dry The bundles of dried plants are sold under the name of Weldcord. The plant is then boiled with alum, and the yellow dye yielded by the weld is much used for silk, cotton or linen.

for the dyer's use.

Blue cloths are dipped into it in order to dye them a green colour. The yellow colour called Dutch pink is obtained from this plant, which is now much grown in Essex, and in some parts of Yorkshire, being sown in April or May, and pulled up when nearly out of flower, and dried in the sun. The yellow dye seems to be principally in the dark brown, smooth and shining seeds. It is a handsome and attractive looking shrub, frequently found near the sea, sometimes finding its way into cottage gardens. Children

too admire its spikes of greenish flowers, though the stem is frequently too solid and woody for them to break with their little fingers. I remember one day going down a long winding lane near the sea, with high banks of sand on each side, overgrown with brambles and wild Mignonette; the tall plants on the top of the high sand banks gave a slight shade from the heat of the sun, and three little girls were sitting underneath the shadow, one plaiting rushes into a mat, from the neighbouring marsh, which was nearly covered with water at high tide, the second gravely watching, the third crying because she had tried to get some Mignonette flowers, had failed, and the hard stem had hurt her little soft fingers; however my pocket-knife cut the unyielding stem, and the little one's grief changed into delight at the sight of the pretty longed-for flowers in her hand at last.

Thus, too, may we feel sure that through the trials and difficulties which we encounter in travelling along the winding lane of this world towards our home above, where the treasure is for which we long; He, whose loving, watchful care is ever around His children, will cut away the brambles which entangle us; and, making