THE OLEANDER. Nerium; L. Le laurose; Fr. Der oleander; Ger. Oleander; Dut. "Yes, they are still the same-the eternal sky That Nature should be changeless, but the joys That follow life so soon should pass away, While things so "fair and sweet" do bid them stay." WHEN man is in the possession of all that he can reasonably desire, he is too commonly disposed to think that his position is one which cannot be disturbed. The ungodly man especially appears to live as though no change in his outward circumstances could take place, or if he supposes that he may be subject to vicissitudes, he adopts all means to prevent the change, without regard to their lawfulness. Hence it is that not seldom the ungodly build up their houses, and lay field to field, and seem to flourish without any visible disarrangement of their plans. All that is external wears the appearance of cheerful prosperity. They seem to flourish like the green bay-tree, the ever-verdant foliage of which conceals from unobservant persons the con stant shedding and renewal of their leaves, so that in truth they are unchanging to the eye of passers-by. We are, however, assured by Holy Writ that there is no such permanence in the lot of the wicked. The Psalmist declares it to be the result of his own personal experience, that the wicked do not continue in prosperity. He says, "I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green bay-tree; yet he passed away," Ps. xxxvii. 35, 36. How beautifully is the bay-tree made emblematic of prosperity. Of whatever genus or species the Psalmist might be mindful, it is equally beautiful, for their evergreen attire cheers the eye of mortals at every season of the year, and shows no very perceptible change. Still we may select, as the one well suited, perhaps best suited, to suggest the emblem, the rose-bay, because it is common in the glorious "land, flowing with milk and honey," in which the inspired writer penned the words. More than one hundred years ago this tree was observed growing most abundantly in one of the valleys of the land of Judah, by the borders of a running stream. Hasselquist, a traveller of pious and trustworthy reputation, saw thickets or groves of shrubs in great variety, among which the Oleander, with its bright red flowers, was especially prominent. The brilliancy of this shrub, thus clad in its own refulgent splendour, at once brought to his recollection the beautiful comparison of the Psalmist, and was an admirable illustration of the aptness of the description, that as the trees planted by the rivers of water so was the wicked man in his prosperity. When, however, we look forward through a few short years, we perceive the green-bay trees yet flourishing in all their beauty, but the wicked who were likened to them have passed away for ever. Though it is thus with the wicked, it is not so with the righteous. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace." He dies, but his name lives. "The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." Like the beautiful Oleander, which is perhaps the most ornamental of all the shrubs of the Holy Land, his character shall flourish for ever. The Oleander is common in the Levant, by rivers and torrents. It is cultivated in England in the green house, where it is a great favourite. An eminent poet of modern days, whose writings are distinguished by sentiments of practical piety, has contributed a few verses showing the danger and fleeting character of prosperity. "When mirth is full and free, Some sudden gloom shall be; When haughty power mounts high, All growth has bound; when greatest found When the rich town, that long Bright tints that shine are but a sign And when thine eye surveys, With fond adoring gaze And yearning heart, thy friend, Love to its grave doth tend. All gifts below, save truth, but grow THE CROCUS. Crocus; L. Le safran; Fr. Die safranpflanze; Ger. Saffran; Dut. Zafferano; It. Azafran; Sp. Açafrao; Port. Zatiphra; Arab. Schafran; Russ. Szafran; Pol. THE beautiful flower of Saffron is only named in the Song of Solomon (iv. 14), where the bride is thus described "A garden locked up is my sister, spouse, A spring strictly locked up, a fountain closely sealed. Thy plants are shoots of Paradise; Pomegranates, with delicious fruits; The nard, and the Crocus, And sweet-scented reed and cinnamon; The balsam and the aloe ; With every prime aromatic : Thou fountain of gardens! thou source of living waters! TAYLOR'S Trans. We may form some idea of the esteem in which the Crocus was held by its being mentioned among such choice plants. In our cold climate, a garden of fragrant flowers is associated with whatever is pleasant and agreeable. We are, however, incapable of rightly estimating the luxury of an Eastern garden filled with plants of this excellence, when the fountains are unsealed and the cooling streams allowed to play, refreshing the flowers and moistening the atmosphere, and so imprisoning, as it were, the fragrant and fugitive exhalations from the odoriferous shrubs and blossoms. A short quotation from Swinburn will perhaps help us to realize the delights of a spot like this. He describes in it the pleasures of a youthful party in a species of terrestrial paradise. "A large party of sprightly damsels and young men that were walking here, were much indebted to us for making the waterworks play, by means of a small bribe to the keeper. Nothing can be more delicious than these sprinklings in a hot day; all the flowers seemed to acquire new vigour; the odours exhaled from the orange, citron, and lemontrees, grew more poignant, more balsamic, and the company ten times more alive than they were; it was a true April shower. We sauntered near two hours in the groves, till we were quite in ecstacy with sweets." Such was the effect in a garden in Spain, and we may not doubt that the same effect would follow in a similar garden in Palestine, when the fountains poured forth their crystal streams. How enchanting the language of the wise king of Israel, to those whose associations enabled them to enter fully into the spirit of it. The Crocus, or Saffron, is called in the original Carcom, and the Indian Saffron is designated by the Arabs by a similar word. The Greek translations have indicated this word by Kpokos, the name by which this plant was known to them. There are many kinds of Saffron, but that which is said to be genuine to distinguish it from others, grows wild in all Eastern countries as well as in Greece. In several places in South Europe it is cultivated. Its leaves are erect |