him, saw all things plainly. Now, over the river I observed that the fog was thicker than any where else, so that few of those on the plain could at all see across; and many indeed affirmed that there was nothing beyond. Few, I perceived, turned their eyes that way, though all were journeying towards it; and the reason I found to be this, that out of the thick fog, which was over the river, appeared oftentimes strange and horrible faces and phantoms, which no one cared to look upon. So they looked any other way, but still they journeyed forwards, and sought carefully after the common pebbles and weeds, which were thickly strewed upon the plain, and which, as I said, appeared by reason of the fog larger and more beautifully coloured than they really were. And I saw that all were very intent upon collecting them, and many were the quarrels about them, even among those who had seemed to be walking most friendlily together. But when any one came to the brink of the river, forthwith he dropped them all. Then I wondered that, seeing the journey was so short, the travellers should give themselves so much trouble about that, of which I could not discover at the end any use whatever. Then would I have looked into the parts beyond the river; but ere I had fixed my eyes steadily thereon, the Interpreter called to me. Yet did I hear doleful voices from beyond the river, that sighed forth that word-"Eternity!" Then said the Interpreter to me, "Hast thou considered this?" "Is not this," said I, "the plain of Vanity? and are not these they whose eyes 'the god of this world hath blinded,' 2 Cor. iv. 4; they who are disquieted in vain, heaping up riches, and not knowing who shall gather them, Psa. xxxix. 6; who having brought nothing into this world, can carry nothing out?" 1 Tim. vi. 7. "Thou hast judged aright," answered the Interpreter ; but look again." So I looked again, and over the plain was a causeway thrown up, the midst of which was raised high above the plain, but the sides sloped down thereto. And I saw that the upper parts of the causeway were very much cleared from the mist that lay upon the plain, insomuch that the atmosphere on the top was almost entirely clear. And some persons were walking on this causeway; but the number was very small compared with those below in the plain. Moreover, I saw that the sides of the causeway were steep and rough, and that the greater part of those who were thereon troubled not themselves to climb to the top, (where, nevertheless, the walking was very easy and delightful,) but travelled along at the bottom; nay, many were so low down upon it, that they were walking side by side, and indeed arm in arm, with those in the plain. Of this, however, I cannot speak positively, as the fog, which lay thick at the edges of this causeway, prevented me from seeing exactly where it first began to rise. Then said I, "What is this?" "This," said the Interpreter, "is the causeway of Salvation; the prophet Isaiah calleth it the way of holiness,' Isa. xxxv. 8; blessed are those who walk therein." "But," said I, "are those persons, whom I see, walking thereon, or walking in the plain? for the mist lieth thick at the bottom, and my eye cannot pierce through it.” Then," said the Interpreter, "The Lord knoweth them that are his,' 2 Tim. ii. 19. But consider the thing more diligently." Then I looked again, and I saw that many of those that seemed to be walking on the causeway, but went arm in arm with those upon the plain, were, by degrees, drawn quite away into the plain, nay, into the remotest parts thereof, and were lost in the fog, and I saw them no more. Then remembered I that it was written, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness ?" 2 Cor. vi. 14. Then I sought to know what it was that made the atmosphere so clear at the top of this raised way: and, behold, immediately beyond the river was a city, "having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal," Rev. xxi. 11; and the light from this city streamed directly on to the causeway of salvation, dispersing the mist, and cheering the eyes and gladdening the hearts of those who walked thereon. And the light, as I said, was stronger, and the atmosphere clearer, the higher any one walked on the raised way, diminishing the blackness thereof; yea, sometimes making it look sparkling and beautiful. And on the other side of the river stood winged ones, ready to bear those who crossed it from the causeway to the shining city. And the light that pro- | But I saw that the light from the city Now, when I saw how clear, comparatively speaking, the atmosphere was, and how pleasant the walking at top of the causeway, I could not but wonder that so many were content to walk low down on the sides, where the light was dimmer, and the walking more uneven and uneasy. And setting myself to find out the reason thereof, I saw that it was twofold; for, first, the sides of the causeway were steep; and, secondly, those who were walking towards the bottom of it were but too busy in picking up the stones and weeds that I mentioned before, and which were strewed there, as well as upon the plain. Then, considering their folly, who, walking in a clearer light, could more clearly discern the real nature, and size, and colour of these things, and yet would stoop so eagerly to pick them up, neglecting thereby the sight of the glorious city, and forbearing I mar to climb higher up the causeway, Moreover, it grieved me to observe Now, when I had attentively_considered these things awhile, the Interpreter led me to another window, and bade me look out therefrom. So, when I looked, I saw a large village, and the streets thereof were very filthy, and the houses were very poor, and mean, and decayed, and dirty, and miserable. Moreover, the people who inhabited therein were squalid, and diseased, and wretched in their appearance. And without the village, on a hill, stood a large and beautiful mansion, which I understood to be that of the Lord of the Manor. "Then," said I, "Why doth the Lord of the Manor suffer this village to remain in this miserable state ?" "It is not," answered the interpreter, "his desire that it should thus remain. He is the best of lords, and many are the schemes which he hath devised for the bettering the condition of the villagers; but they will not hear of any. Rather wonder, therefore, that having, as he hath, full power for the same, he doth not entirely pull down the village, which looketh like a disgrace to his property, and banish the inhabitants out of his demesne. And this he hath, indeed, said that he will do, and will build another and a very different town, which will join even to his own mansion, and into which there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth,' Rev. xxi. 27. But he is very patient, and trieth the woodlark; and the grasshopper is heard in the field: and, see! the golden yellow flowers of the ragwort, and the The all methods to bring the inhabitants of the present village to a better mind. Nay, in order hereto, some of his own sons are living in the midst of the vil-bright-red petals of the herb Robert, lage, away from their Father's house, to adorn the banks and hedge rows. try if they may induce any one to adopt very air is gladsome! their Father's wise and beautiful plans for the bettering of the village, and for the cleansing and healing themselves of the loathsome disease under which they labour. Now, observe." Then I looked, and saw the sons of the Lord of the Manor, and they went about from street to street, and from house to house, in the village; and wherever they came, they found the villagers speaking evil of their Father, and doing whatever was most disagreeable to him, and most strictly forbidden by him; wasting his property, mocking at his threatenings, and utterly despising all his kind offers. Also, they cast dirt at his sons as they walked about, and laughed them and their plans to scorn. Then I looked to see what the sons of the Lord of the Manor would do; and they cast their eyes towards their Father's house, and said, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Then was I conscious how often I had used those words, and not felt their meaning.-Rev. C. Neale. SKETCHES OF THE LINNEAN SYSTEM OF BOTANY.-No. IX. SEVENTEENTH CLASS. DIADELPHIA. Oh for a harp of golden strings! A glowing, thrilling, rapturous heart, A faith that bids all fears depart! In the class Diadelphia are arranged such plants as have flowers with the filaments of the stamens united into two bundles, as the term implies. There are four orders. 1. Pentendria, with “five stamens," as monnieria. 2. Hexandria, with "six stamens," as fumitory. Octandria, with "eight stamens," as milkwort. 4. Decandria, with ten stamens,' as broom pea. 66 3. In the first order there is no British plant, and therefore we must select the three-leaved monnieria, (Mannieria trifolia,) a rather uncommon annual from South America, which blows with a white flower; the calyx four cleft; the corolla with four petals; and the seeds solitary. In the second order are placed fumitory, (Fumaria,) of which there are several very pretty species, by no means uncommon in fields and gardens, both wild and cultivated. Yellow fumitory (F. lutea) is a native perennial, not very common in a wild state; but frequently cultivated as a very pretty small flower, which blows profusely throughout the AT whatever season we go forth, we summer, from May till killed by the shall find that God has been walking frost. The stems are spreading and anabroad before us, beautifying or fertiliz-gular; the seed pods nearly cylindrical, ing the earth. The little plots of ground that we sow or set with flower seeds, and fence in with hedges or walls, we call gardens; but nature's garden is the world around us. Mountains and moors, forests and fields, prairies, steppes and deserts, are but parterres in the wide spread domain. Here the towering cedar excites our wonder, and there the purple heath-flower equally challenges our admiration with its beauty. As September rolls on, the farmer is also to calculate the produce of his broad acres. The squirrel and the dormouse lay up stores for the winter; and thousands of the feathered race prepare for their autumnal voyage across the mighty deep. Hark! the blackbird and thrush are mingling their carols with those of and shorter than their footstalk; the leaves, which are of a light delicate green, continue throughout the winter. The bulbous-rooted fumitory (F. solida, or Corydalis bulbosa) is a native perennial, not uncommon in gardens, though rare in a wild state, blowing early in spring, from February till March, with a pink blossom; the corolla has four petals, with a spur at the base; the seed pod has two valves and many seeds; the leaves are doubly thrice divided, the divisions being oblong and wedge shaped; the stem is erect, with stipulæ below the lowest leaf. The common herb fumitory (F. officinalis) is a very pretty delicate-looking annual, common as a weed in gardens, cornfields, and on rubbish heaps. The leaves are wing cleft, of a light green. The blossom is pale purplish pink. The late celebrated Dr. Cullen, of Edinburgh, highly extolled the virtues of fumitory, as a bitter to be taken in form of tea or decoction, in affections of the liver; but though there can be no doubt of its efficacy in such cases, it has now fallen into disuse among professional men. In the third order is milkwort, (Polygala vulgaris,) a very small evergreen perennial, common on heaths, and in woods and copses in most parts of the kingdom, and blowing from May on through the summer, with blue, white, or pale pink blossoms. The corolla is crested; the calyx has five leaves, two of them being winged and coloured, three ribbed, blunt, and of the same length as the corolla; the capsule is flattish; the leaves are grass-like and spear-pointed. It affords a good medicinal bitter by infusion, but not so powerful as the American snake root (Polygala senega) of the same genus. | into a head, as in the preceding species. The teeth of the calyx are nearly equal; the seed pods have four seeds falling off; the leaves are in threes, on long leaf stalks; the leafits egg-oblong, notched at the end, and saw-toothed. There is a species not unlike this, called the strawberry clover, (T. fragarioides,) not uncommon in most meadows, and distinguished by the calyx bulging out, so as to give the seed heads some little resemblance to a large strawberry. The writer of this has seen the strawberry clover very abundant near ComptonBasset, in Wiltshire, and occasionally near London. The white clover appears to be the genuine Irish shamrock, though, like the Scotch thistle, and other native emblems, the species employed in the heraldic representations is not much more like any botanical species than the mermaids, hippogriffs, and unicorn, are like any animal. Dyer's green weed (Genista tinctoria) is a shrubby plant, frequently An illustration of the fourth order found on dry barren banks, and the bormay be found in a very great number of ders of fields. The writer has met with plants with pease-blossom-shaped flow-it abundantly on the banks of the Merers, forming the Papilionacea of the natural system. The common red clover, or honeysuckle trefoil, (Trifolium pratense,) is one of the best known plants in farm fields, being extensively cultivated as food for cattle. He must have an eye dull to creation's beauties, and a heart not easily excited to his Creator's praise, who can look unmoved on a clover field in blossom. Beauty and fragrance are here combined: the living picture glows with animated hues, and the breeze is burdened with delicious perfume. This plant is also by no means uncommon in a wild state, particularly on chalky downs, and blowing about the end of June. It is found to deteriorate the soil so much on which it is successively cultivated, for a number of years, that it will scarcely grow; while the white clover, (T. repens,) on the other hand, appears to improve the land. There is a sort recently introduced from Italy, called the Italian clover, (T. incarnatum,) which is said to be very superior to the common red sorts, as green food for cattle. The white clover, or Dutch trefoil, (T. repens,) is a native perennial, blowing from May throughout the summer, with a white or reddish blossom, the flowers growing clustered sey, between Liverpool and Manchester, and occasionally near London, as between Sydenham and Lewisham, on the hills near the Croydon railway. It blossoms in July and August, with a yellow blossom, like broom; but one half smaller. The calyx is two lipped, with two teeth in the upper lip, and three in the lower; the leaves are spear-shaped and smooth; and the branches round, striated, and erect. The whole of the plant is used by dyers to dye yellow; and by means of woad, a green is afterwards produced, the most esteemed of all greens for woollen goods. The royal appellative, Plantagenet, is said to have been derived from this plant, (Planta genesta,) according to the following legend. Fulke, earl of Anjou, who lived a century before the Norman conquest, having been guilty of some crime, was enjoined, by way of penance, to go to the Holy Land, as a pauper pilgrim. This penance he performed; and in his humble dress, to mark his penitence, he wore the genista in his cap, this plant being esteemed as an emblem of humility. The circumstance induced him to adopt the title of Plantagenet, which was kept up by his descendants. A more showy plant, and much more common, is broom, (Spartium scoparium, or Cytisus scoparius,) a showy flowering shrub, which grows abundantly on dry gravelly hills in all parts of England, flowering in May and June. The summit of the pistil is longitudinal and downy above; the filaments of the stamens are all mutes, and adhere to the germen; the calyx is extended downwards; the leaves are ternate or solitary and deciduous; the branches of a dark green, angular, striated, and thornless. It is a much more showy and splendid plant than many of the exotic species which are cultivated with great care. When wanted to ornament the garden or the shrubbery, it should be sown where it is intended to remain, for the plants do not bear transplanting, and almost invariably die when removed from their original situation. The broom in full bloom has a magic influence on broken ground. The bright yellow of its petals, amounting almost to a golden blaze, imparts life and animation to the scene. The poet has brought together, in the following words, one of the most beautiful of shrubs, and one of the most lovely of trees. "On the green slope Of a romantic glade we sat us down, Its branches, arching like a fountain shower." Another plant of this genus is the common laburnum, or golden chain, (Cytisus laburnum,) which grows spontaneously in the woods of Germany, Switzerland, and France, and is abundantly cultivated in shrubberies, growing to the height of twenty or thirty feet. The form of the head is irregular and picturesque; the foliage smooth, shining, and of a beautiful green. It produces a profusion of blossoms from the first week in May, (according to the variety,) till the first week in July. The purple and white lilac, the Jordan tree, the fragrant cherry, the Gueldres rose, the bird cherry, and the white and scarlet hawthorn, which blossom about the same period, form fine compositions in connection with the laburnum. As it will grow and blossom well without exposure to sunshine, it forms a fine ornament for northern walls, and in such situations it may be seen trimmed, in many places in and around the metropolis, smoke and confined air appearing to have little deleterious effect upon this denizen of mountainous woods. The locust tree, common acacia, or The white laburnum, (Robinia pseuda-acacia,) does not belong to the same species as the golden chain, though both rank in this order. It is a tree growing from forty to one hundred feet high, introduced from North America, and blowing with us from May till June, with recemes of purplish white flowers. calyx has four divisions, the upper one being two parted; the seed pod is protuberous and long; the leaves are winged with an odd leafit at the tip. It is a very ornamental tree when in leaf, the leaves being of a beautiful green colour; but it is one of the latest trees of coming into leaf, which is a great disadvantage. It is a fast grower, and when raised from seeds, the young trees soon attain a considerable size. The locust tree is an elegant, and often a very beautiful object, whether it feathers to the ground, as it sometimes does, or is adorned with a light foliage hanging from the shoots; but of all trees it is the least able to endure the blast, its wood being so brittle, when loaded with a weight of foliage, that the branch which is admired to-day, may be broken by the wind to-morrow; and, unfortunately, the locust is not one of those trees whose picturesque beauty is increased, like that of the oak, by dilapidation. On the continent, the heads of the locust tree are usually trimmed so as to form a great round mass like a mop, or like the box and holly standards of an old Dutch garden; and many examples of this may be seen around country churchyards, as at Bex, in Switzerland, on the great Simplon road. The scarlet runner (Phasealus multiflorus) is a common plant in the gardens of the south of England, and as an ornamental climbing plant in pots for cottage windows in the north, and in the crowded lanes of London. It is a half-hardy perennial from Asia, growing twelve feet high, and blowing from June till it is killed by the frost. The blossoms are all scarlet or white, or both scarlet and white; the latter variety being called the painted lady, not long introduced, and a much better bearer than the two old ones. The flowers are in bunches of the length of the leaves; the bractea are less than the calyx, and lie close to the stem; the lower petal of the corolla, with the stamens and summit of the pistil, is twisted spirally. It is easily raised from seed; but the young plants will not stand any frost. The roots of the old plants, if taken up in October, and |