M'COMB.

"Sweet flower! spring's earliest, loveliest gem;
While other flowers are idly sleeping,
Thou rear'st thy purple diadem,
Meekly from thy seclusion peeping.

"Thou, from the little secret mound,
Where diamond dew-drops shine above thee,
Scatterest thy modest fragrance round;
And well may nature's poet love thee!

"Thine is a short, swift reign, I know,
But love, thy spirit still pervading,
New violet tufts again shall blow,
Then fade away as thou art fading;

"And be renewed;--the hope how blest,
(Oh, may that hope desert me never!)
Like thee, to sleep on nature's breast,
And wake again, to bloom for ever!"
BOWRING.

"A violet, by a mossy stone--
Half hidden from the eye;
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky."
WORDSWORTH.

Prepare the petals in white wax: there are five in number. Pass the head
of a large pin firmly down the centre, so as to cup each. Cover a fine
green wire with a strip of light green wax; at the end of this affix a
small piece of orange wax, and mould it to a point, not allowing it to
be larger than a carraway seed. Dip the point of this foundation in
water, and then into the second yellow powder, which gives it the
appearance of farina. Place three petals under the foundation, and the
remaining two on the top, turning them back; bend the stalk up, and
under the three petals place a small piece of white wax, which is to be
coloured purple after it is attached. The calyx consists of five points,
and are placed round the neck of the flower.

PURPLE VIOLETS.

"Violets, sweet tenants of the shade,
In purple's richest pride arrayed,
Your errand here fulfil;
Go, bid the artist's simple stain
Your lustre imitate in vain,
And match your Maker's skill."

Purple violets are constructed precisely the same as the former; the
only difference that exists being that the petals require to be cut from
blue wax, and painted upon both sides with purple (bright crimson and
middle blue.)

"Like the sweet south
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
(So darkly, deeply, beautifully blue,)
Smelling and giving odours."

"Thou smiling promise of more sunny days,
How do I love thine unobtrusive glance!"

ANEMONE.

(ANEMONE HORTENSIS.) _Si