PRAISE OF SILENCE

THE BLAME OF PORTRAITS

SERE AND YELLOW--INTERLUDE

A STAGE JEWEL

MY BICYCLE AND I

PUZZLES OF THE PAST

MAKING PRESENTS

GOING AWAY

COMING BACK

LOSING ONE'S TRAIN

THE HANGING GARDENS--VALEDICTORY

HORTUS VITAE

THE GARDEN OF LIFE

(INTRODUCTORY)

"Cela est bien dit," repondit Candide; "mais il
faut cultiver notre jardin."--ROMANS DE VOLTAIRE.

THE GARDEN OF LIFE

This by no means implies that the whole of life is a garden or could be
made one. I am not sure even that we ought to try. Indeed, on second
thoughts, I feel pretty certain that we ought not. Only such portion of
life is our garden as lies, so to speak, close to our innermost
individual dwelling, looked into by our soul's own windows, and
surrounded by its walls. A portion of life which is ours exclusively,
although we do occasionally lend its key to a few intimates; ours to
cultivate just as we please, growing therein either pistachios and dwarf
lemons for preserving, like Voltaire's immortal hero, or more spiritual
flowers, "sweet basil and mignonette," such as the Lady of Epipsychidion
sent to Shelley; kindly rosemary and balm; or, as may happen, a fine
assortment of witch's herbs, infallible for turning us into cats and
toads and poisoning our neighbours.

But with whatever we may choose to plant the portion of our life and our
thought which is our own, and whatsoever its natural fertility and
aspect, this much is certain, that it needs digging, watering, planting,
and perhaps most of all, weeding. "Cela est bien dit," repondit Candide,
"mais il faut cultiver notre jardin." He was, as you will recollect,
answering Dr. Pangloss. One evening, while they were resting from their
many tribulations, and eating various kinds of fruit and sweetmeats in
their arbour on the Bosphorus, the eminent optimistic philosopher had
pointed out at considerable length that the delectable moment they were
enjoying was connected by a Leibnitzian chain of cause and effect with
sundry other moments of a less obviously desirable character in the
earlier part of their several lives.

"For, after all, my dear Candide," said Dr. Pangloss, "let us suppose
you had not been kicked out of a remarkably fine castle, magnis ac
cogentissimis cum argumentis a posteriori; suppose also that, etc., etc.
had not happened, nor, furthermore, etc., etc., etc.; well, it is quite
plain that you would not be in this particular place, _videl