The Work Of Nature In The Months.

on this world-wide lesson-book , and make its teachings our own . Turn we now to the brighter , if apparently less useful , gems of Nature ' s handicraft , and we shall have reason to say , with the

poet" Blessed be God for flowers ; For the "bright , gentle , holy thoughts that breuthe From out their odorous beauty like a wreath Of sunshine on life ' s hours . "

See here the little Eye-bright , more famed , according to our folk-lore , for its power of imparting gladness to the mind , and clear sight to the eyes , than for its own intrinsic beauty . May we not , whilst we regard this tiny , but perfect work of God , feel

thankful to Him , that , Great Architect of the World as He is , He has left the impress of His Omniscience , no less on these the least of His creations than on the most stupendous works of His Almighty hand . Surely , again , we may read the

words of comfort . of our Master , that if He so clothes these with beauty , compared ¦ with wMch the glory of the Royal Solomon sinks into insignificance , He will never leave us unclothed , unfed . Leaving tMs little , flower in its

more lowly abode , we may ascend the heather-clad , hills , now in their , fullest glory of . purple beauty , and gather specimens of the badges—the heaths , the rosy

bells of the " cross-leaved " and the hoary blossoms of the "fine-leaved , "—of the clans of MacDonald and MacAlister . Here , too , we may pluck the bright "blue heads of one of the Campanulas—the Sheep'sbit ; the purple blossoms of the Field

Gentian , and the rose-coloured corollas of the Centaury . Before we descend we ought to get specimens of the Grass of Farnassus , whose brilliant white flowers , rising a foot above its heart-shaped leaves , make it a conspicuous object among the darker

mountain mosses . Crossing the moorlands we shall be sure to notice the slightly drooping spikes of the yellow Agrimony and the dull purple of its near relative the Salad-bumet , whose leaves , smelling stronglof cucumbertaste well

y , enough to bear out its name ; the Woadwaxen , or Dyer ' s-green-weed , still shines brightl y yellow , and bids us look closely for its connexion the Needle-furze . Another thorny and disagreeable-smelling ,

yet pretty , friend is the rose-blossomed Rest-harrow ; near it we shall probably gather the tiny-headed Black Medick , and , only possibly , the yellow Melilot , for it is extremely rare ; it is , however , worthy of careful searchif only for its strong

per-, fume , which is that of the sweetest hay . Vieing in brilliancy of golden colouring with another plant , the Bhcl ' s-foot-trefoil , is our old friend Stone-crop or Goldenmoss ; this is one of those works of nature so wondrously endowed with properties to

suit its condition of life , that it can hardly be said , even metaphorically , to " cut its coat according to its cloth , " for it needs but little sustenance , existing on the barest of stone walls and possessing such wonderfid vitality that it will grow and put

forth bloom-shoots even when placed in our botanical press ; not far removed from this family is that of the HousMeeks , some members of which—as the House-green , so much vaunted for its cooling properties , by our grandmothers—do not disdain the

humblest of thatched roofs , whilst other and more aristocratic branches of the family are eagerly sought for the borders of flower-beds , to wMch they give

the appearance of having been spread out and sat upon carefully , or at least of having had a considerable share of the attention of the gardener ' s heaviest roller . Several other members of this group are beautiful , in flower as leaf ,

but we must not dwell upon them now but pass on to the deservedly respected family , the St . John ' s worts . Thoroughly well known are these , with their blackdotted yellow flowers , for they hold the very highest place in domestic surgery

, being not only antidotes to all the scurvy tricks of witch and wizard , with which old people ' s minds used to be filled , but having also the reputation of being preservatives against lightning , nay more , against even thunder ! The handsome blue Succory

that we noticed in our last month ' s excursion still blooms , aud has now a yellow variety to bear it company ; nor must the Plaintain Fritillary escape our eye . This last plant would make us suspect the propinquity of watera suspicion strengthened

, by the gradual appearance by our path of many other marsh and meadow plants ; and now the strong suspicion becomes a certainty , for here is the pale green woolly