THE SNOWDROP-EMBLEM OF
CONSOLATION.

"The Snowdrop, Winter's timid child,

Awakes to life bedewed with tears,
And flings around its fragrance mild;
And, where no rival flowerets bloom,
Amidst the bare and chilling gloom

A beauteous gem appears."

THE snowdrop (Galanthus Nivalis) heralds in the spring. Its scientific name is from two Greek words signifying milk and flower, given on account of the milky whiteness of its blossoms. It is remarkable that this lovely flower rears its blossoms often under a covering of snow, and holds its tiny head in safety even when tossed backwards and forwards by rough winds. Like a meek and modest child it meekly bends its head, submissive to the ordained laws; and HE, "who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," has so attached its corolla to the stalk, that it moves with the wind in every position, without danger of being snapped asunder, while its drooping moisture, and pure whiteness of its petals, cause them to act as reflectors of light and heat to the anthers.

The following is a beautiful idea as to the birth of the snowdrop: Among the vine-clad hills of France lived a poor soldier's widow and her only child, a boy, deeply attached to his mother, who fell ill and died. Daily did poor Rennie-for that was the boy's name-visit his mother's grave, and watered the ground which covered her mortal remains with his warm, affectionate tears. Winter came, with his frost and snow, and poor Rennie fell ill, and was unable for many weeks to visit his beloved parent's resting-place. When spring re-appeared he again turned his steps to the sacred spot, where his mother slept the sleep of death. He knelt upon the cold earth, and his tears fell fast upon it, as before, and where his tears fell appeared a tiny blade or leaf, struggling to pierce the hard soil; the boy espied it, and as it spoke hopefully to the despairing one, he tenderly scraped aside the mould, so that the little plant might feel the influence of the sun's rays. Not long after this, a group of lovely white blossoms were observed to bend sorrowfully over the sod, and Rennie, remembering his mother's love for flowers, said, "My mother has sent them from the spirit land." The peasants were amazed, as they had never seen such flowers before, and they said, "Each snowwhite drop quivers upon its stem like a tear about to fall; his mother has sent these to console him.' He nurtured them tenderly,

and they grew yearly in greater abundance, and he shared them with many, who planted them in gardens; but in process of time the hills and vales were adorned with these delicate blossoms, and for many years they were called "Rennie's Consolation,' In the floral language at the present time the snow-drop means consolation. Thus we see with Mrs. Hemans, how flowers speak of hope to the fainting heart; With a voice of promise they come and part; They sleep in dust through the winter hours, The break forth in glory, bring flowers, bright flowers."

In France this chaste flower is called perce neige, as there, like here, it rears its tiny blossoms often through the snow. Mrs. Barbauld speaks of it, as if "by Flora's breath, she had changed an icicle into a flower." It is related that this lovely, modest flower spoke consolation to the sad heart of Eve, when mourning over the desolate appearance of the earth during winter. Eve, weeping over the black despair the winter's storms had made, madly wished she had been dead; when lo! an angel, on a task of mercy, came to raise her drooping heart, and bade her cheer. Catching, as he spake, a flake of falling snow,

"He breathed on it, and bade it take

A form, and bud and blow." Then did the snow-flake as desired, and Eve smiled upon the beauteous flower which thus brought consolation to her sorrowing heart. "This flower," the glorious angel said, "is an earnest that sun and summer soon shall be, when all things shall again look fresh and green." The angel's mission being ended, away up to heaven he flew, but where on earth he stood a ring of snowdrops formed a poesy.

"And thus the snowdrop, like the bow
That spans the cloudy sky,
Became a symbol, whence we know
That brighter days are nigh."

Season after season this and other flowers come to remind us that GoD's hand is working gradually, even as it did at first, when he called the earth out of nothing, and robed it with verdure, and when each successive day witnessed the fresh and luxuriant growth of primeval vegetation.

From our earliest youth, the blossoms "link the heart to nature;" yet they are a blessing for which man forgets to be grateful. "Flowers that spring by vale or stream,

Each one may claim them for his own." For these let us offer "thanks, blessings, love," to the all-beneficent, for these his lavish boons, but most of all for their "Heavenward influences."

М. Р.

Singular. A barrel of vinegar, Un baril de vinaigre; A bushel of wheat, Un boisseau de blé; A bouquet of jasmine, Un bouquet de jasmin.

Plural. A barrel of olives, Un baril d'olives; A bushel of beans, Un boisseau de haricots; A bouquet of roses, Un bouquet de roses.

Rule. When the first substantive expresses an idea of capacity or agglomeration, the second may be considered as being determinative, and always remains in the singular, if it specifies a thing which cannot be, or is not usually, counted; in all other cases, it always takes the plural. The above examples leave no ambiguity about the application of this rule.

Observations. The rules which we have just given are not strictly applicable, and it is necessary to examine carefully how the determinative must be understood. In the locution, A juice of herbs, un jus d'herbes, the determinative herbs is plural, although the juice is made by extraction, and the herbs have entirely changed their nature; we are induced to do it, not only because several herbs enter into its formation, but because those herbs are of a different nature.

On the other hand, we write, A porridge of beans, Une purée de haricots; A cullis of craw-fish, Un coulis d'écrevisses; A pot of preserves, Un pot de confitures, because those words, beans, craw-fish, and preserves in French, are most generally used in the plural; for we do not say, I love the bean, the craw-fish, the preserve, J'aime le haricot, l'écrevisse, la confiture; but, Les haricots, les écrevisses, les confitures. But we write, A porridge of potatoes, Une purée de pomme de terre, because we say, the potato is good, La pomme de terre est bonne. When a qualificative is joined to the determinative, it restricts and particularizes its meaning, and consequently disposes it to take the plural; thus, although we think it should be written, I prefer to draw heads of women rather than of men, J'aime mieux dessiner des têtes de femme que des têtes d'homme, we should employ the plural in two of the following sentences.-Cannibals used to cut off the heads of men killed in battle, Les cannibales coupaient les tétes d'hommes tués sur le champ de bataille; There are two kinds of rights in law, Il y a deux espèces de droit; There are several breeds of horses, Il y a plusieurs espèces de

chevaux.

In the second example, the singular is used, because we wish to say, Law is divided into two classes, public law and private

law, Le droit se divise en deux classes, le droit public et le droit privé.

In the last example, the plural is used, because we wish to say, There are horses of several breeds, Il y a des chevaux de différentes espéces.

By taking the trouble to analyze the sentences which appear doubtful to the mind, it is easy to avoid committing any faults.

Of Nouns used with the Preposition of, de, but not preceded immediately by another Noun.-Of, preceded by an adjective or a past participle; as,

Singular. A child full of good disposition, Un enfant plein de bonne volonté ; A prince thirsting for fame, Un prince altéré de renommée; A painter full of talent, Un peintre rempli de talent.

Plural. A man full of vices, Un homme plein de défauts; An author craving applause, Un auteur insatiable de louanges; A young lady full of talents, Une jeune personne remplie de talents.

The least reflection is sufficient to determine, in all cases similar to these, whether the singular or plural must be used. Bonne volonté is in the singular, because we do not say, Des bonnes volontés; défauts is in the plural, because we would not say, man full of vices, if he had only one vice.

Gloire, taken in a general sense, is never used in the plural; but it should be, if we had to express, He is craving for all sorts of glory, Il est affamé de tous les genres de gloires; because here glory is particularised, and we understand there are several sorts of it.

Louanges praises, cannot possibly be in the singular, because one of them alone would not be enough for a craving man.

Talent, in the painter's case, is singular, because we mean but one talent of an eminent order; but in the other instance, we intend to say that the young lady possesses all the talents which are acquired by a complete education.

Of Substantives preceded, as Determinative, by any Preposition but of, de.-Preposition à; as,

Singular. To travel on foot, Voyager à pied; A safe with a secret lock, Un coffre à secret.

Plural. To jump with the feet close, Sauter à pieds joints; Horned cattle, Des bêtes à cornes; To go on foot, to be on foot. a footman, Aller à pied, être sur pied, valet de pied, are expressions which usage has consecrated in the singular, because the mode in which the word foot is used implies only a modification of the words aller,

être, valet, without the mind being troubled with the idea of the number of feet; but in this phrase, Sauter à pieds joints, the word joints, awaking naturally the idea of two feet, requires the plural.

Secret is in the singular, because we think only of a lock which is a secret one; but cornes is in the plural, because we mean animals that always have two horns.

Preposition en, in; as,

Singular. Constant in love, Constant en amour; To fly from flower to flower, Voler de fleur en fleur; I made a marmalade of them, Je les ai mis en marmelade; A house covered with slate, Une maison couverte en ardoise.

Plural. Fertile in expedients, Fertile en expédients; To lie in, Etre en couches; They are cut to pieces, Ils sont taillés en pièces; A gown trimmed with pearls, Une robe garnie en perles.

Amour, in the plural, would be nonsense applied to constant.

Fertile conveys the idea of more than one expedient, or else the sentence would have

no sense.

It is easily perceived when the plural must be used after a certain class of adjectives; as, full, filled, craving, rich, abounding, and others similar to them. De fleur en fleur signifies, from one flower to another; it is clear that a fly, or butterfly, cannot leave two flowers at once

Marmelade is in the singular, because there is but one preparation so called. Pièces is in the plural, because they have been cut into a great number of pieces.

Ardoise is in the singular, because the slates which cover the house are taken as a whole, the mind not being occupied with the idea of plurality in regard to them.

Perles is in the plural, because the mind divides them, counts them, if we may say so, and is pleased by exaggerating their number.

The preposition par, by; as,

Singular. I gave him my property by deed, Je lui donnai mon bien par contract. Plural. They divided themselves into troops, Il se divisèrent par troupes.

There is but one contract, and there are several troops.

The preposition pour, for; as, Peter, shoemaker for men only, Pierre, cordonnier pour homme.

Homme is used in the singular, because its meaning is vague and indefinite, and stands here as a mere qualification.

The preposition sans, without; as, Singular. I am without bread or money, Je suis sans pain et sans argent.

Plural. He is without shoes, Il est sans souliers.

The words pain and argent have no plural in this acceptation; besides, the preposition sans, meaning a complete exclusion, must generally be followed by the singular, unless we are compelled to think of several objects, as is the case in the other examples; (a man always wears two shoes.) The preposition sur, upon, on; as, Singular. To receive letter after letter, Recevoir lettre sur lettre.

Plural To begin anew, Recommencer sur de nouveaux frais.

Lettre sur lettre means, a letter after another letter; it is an expression similar to that of de fleur en fleur, from flower to flower.

Frais has no singular; that is the reason why we write, To travel at a great expense, Voyager à grands frais.

Remarks on the Preceding Chapters.-We have already said enough on this subject to enable the reader to ascertain with accuracy in what cases he must use the plural or the singular in locutions of this kind; it is easily perceived that the singular is more generally employed than the other number, which must be rejected whenever the sense of the sentence does not convey the idea of plurality in a clear and distinct manner. But, in the mean time, particular care must be taken to study the real meaning of the sentence, as being the only sure guide in the case.

There are, however, many instances where either number may be employed indifferently. Let us try to explain still more explicitly what characterises each number.

General Rule.-If we speak of a species or of a kind taken generally, the singular must be used.

If the mind refers more particularly to individuals, the plural must be used.

If we say, During Lent Catholics live wholly upon fish, Les Catholiques, pendant le carême, ne se nourissent que de poisson, we use the singular for poisson, because we think only of the kind of food, without any reference to the number of fish.

But if we say, Lobsters and crabs live only on fish, Les homards et les crabes ne vivent que de poissons, we represent to ourselves lobsters and crabs living upon a number of fishes; the idea dwells upon the individuals of the fish tribe, and accordingly the plural is used.

In fine, there are cases in which the plural seems to give more force to the expression; as, for instance, if we say, as a matter of fact only, Catacombs are filled

with skulls and dead bones, Les catacombs sent remplies de têtes et d'os de mort.

But, if we wish to move an audience, we should say, Think of the horrid picture which strikes our eyes,-a valley covered with skulls and dead bones! Figurez-vous l'affreux tableau qui frappe nos regards; une vallée jonchée de têtes et d'os de morts. The mind refers, in the first instance, to bones as those of a corpse; while, in the other, it is struck by the horror of so many persons killed and having their bones left in the valley.

The Dictionary of the Academy should not be consulted for the explanation of this difficulty of our language; because, being the result of the co-operation of many, it too often contains rules implying contradiction to one another. It is by common sense and reasoning, according to the rules we have laid down, that the student must be guided. We will add some few more illustrations, so as to leave as little doubt as possible on the subject:

In all the above examples of the singular, the second substantives are used in a general and indefinite sense, as mere qualifications; whereas, in the plural, these same words are taken in a sense of individuality.

For instance, des caprices de femme, are caprices which are attributed to women in general; but, une pension de femmes is composed of individuals, and the word femmes conveys the idea of plurality.

Des marcharnds de plume are men who sell quantities of feathers to make beds; we cannot have the idea of counting these feathers; but un marchand de plumes is a man who sells pens to write with, and at once we see that we may buy one, two, or twenty of them; the sense is individual, definite.

Merchants of straw, hay, cider, are men who do not sell singly one, two straws, &c., but who sell, as a whole, straw, hay, &c., then the sense is indefinite, and does not admit of plurality; but a merchant of trees, apricots, grapes, &c., always sell those articles by the piece, or, on account of their number, sells them by the quantity; then the sense is individual; you may buy an apricot, two trees, &c. We could not, without useless repetition, continue the analysis of the other examples, which has been previously given.

We will terminate this review by mentioning once more, that in cases similar to those already noticed, the mind must decide the question, by giving to sentences their proper signification.

(To be continued.)

UTILITY OF GAS TAR.-A discovery, which is likely to be of great advantage to agriculture, has recently been reported to a French agricultural society. A gardener, whose frames and hot-house required painting, decided on making them black, as likely to attract the heat better, and from a principle of economy he made use of gas tar instead of black paint. The work was performed during the winter, and on the approach of spring the gardener was surprised to find that all the spiders and insects which usually infested his hot-house had disappeared, and also that a vine, which for two years preceding had so fallen off that he had intended to replace it by another, had acquired fresh force and vigour, and gave every sign of producing a large crop of grapes. He afterwards used the same substance to the posts and trellis-works, which supported the trees in the open air, and met with the same result, all the caterpillars and other insects completely disappearing. It is said that similar experiments have been made in some of the vineyards of the Gironde with similar results.