and most
beautiful flowers.

This is a graceful and pretty fashion, and one not likely to grow out of
use amongst women, which opens a market well worth the florist's notice.

If my voice could reach Mr. Pierce, two things I would seek to press
upon his consideration: the first should be never to suffer himself to
be persuaded to throw a bridge--above all, a wooden one--across that
prettiest of fords; the other, that he would, out of humanity to the
cattle, and out of consideration for the necks of his fair visitors,
make the drive, so called, leading through the wood into the George-town
road, just passable.

Meantime, until this be accomplished, let me caution all future
explorers against venturing the approach by that route. The one by the
race-course, and across the ford, is as good as need be; somewhat steep,
a little difficult here and there, but in no way perilous.

I might have selected spots for detail in this neighbourhood, which in
other eyes may have attractions, though different, quite as powerful;
but this, somehow or other, won strangely upon my fancy, and grew to be
my favourite resort when pursuing my accustomed rides. I paid to it many
visits alone, and in company it became associated with some of the
pleasantest hours I passed here; and thus comes it that the reader is
afforded such an opportunity as a meagre sketch can give, of becoming
acquainted with this secluded spot, once perhaps the summer bower of
some native princely Sagamore, and now the location of Mr. Pierce,
gardener and seedsman!

THE GARDEN, POETICAL AND POLITICAL.

I one day had the honour of accompanying a lady on a drive to make some
calls in the environs, and a most agreeable drive it was. One of our
visits turned out to me quite an adventure; and procured me the
acquaintance of a character rarely encountered in these rule-of-three
days, wherein humanity is clipped and trained upon the principles of old
Dutch gardening,--no exuberances permitted, but all offshoots duly
trimmed to the conventional cut, until individuality is destroyed, and
one half of the world, like Pope's parterre, is made to reflect, as
nearly as possible, the other.

We drove for some distance through an ill-tended but naturally pretty
domain, alighting unnoticed at a house having an air of antiquity quite
refreshing; three sides of the building were encompassed by a broad
raised stoop, covered with a wide-spread veranda, whilst the walls were
th