for he goes wherever he likes, and always takes his tent with him. When the crow flies abroad over hill and valley, he comes back again to his nest; and, in like manner, the rabbit, though pleasant be the fields he wanders in, returns at night home to his burrow; but the snail is always at home, and yet always abroad."

"So he is. I shall never see a snail without thinking of that."

"I like to watch the slow motions of the snail. If you look at a bird, a mouse, a butterfly, or a bee, he is off before you have noticed him half a minute; but the snail is never in a hurry. He is not, to be sure, the fittest messenger to give notice that a house is on fire, or to run, with a letter that is rather late, to the post-office; but for all that, I like, as I said, to watch him. I see him climbing up a tree, or creeping along an old rail, or among the rustling leaves on the bank, or gliding over a moss-grown stone. At one time he is among the dewy grass; at another on the sedge, by the side of the stream; and sometimes he leaves behind him his silvery trail on the bark of the felled tree, or on the red-painted plough, as it lies turned on one side under the hedge. You may get a good lesson from the snail any day, for he takes up contentedly with the snug abode given to him, while man too often builds himself into

trouble, and heaps up in his house ill-gotten gains that are a snare to him, and destroy his peace."

"You have told me a great deal about the snail; I shall now look at him more attentively." "His house is a complete palace; indeed few palaces are so compact, or half so well paintedand then look at the company he keeps!"

"Company! why he lives all alone by him

self."

"That may be; but for all that he may see a deal of company. There is the speckled lizard, and the frog, with his buff jerkin, and fine bright eye, and the brown-coated cockchafer, and the beetle, sparkling with green and gold, and the spotted butterfly, and the goodly glow-worm; so you see that he keeps capital company. He who can look with attention on a snail, a lizard, a frog, a cockchafer, a beetle, a butterfly, and a glowworm, without wondering at the infinite power and wisdom of their almighty Maker, must have either a dimness in his eye, or a want of feeling in his heart. You have now heard enough about the country in June; and as it is always a pleasant thing to have something to look forward to, you may calculate on hearing, another time, something about the country in July.

I

IT was after a shower of rain that Maurice went into the garden to look for Michael: he found him at work, between the onion-bed and the toolhouse.

"Now for the country in July, Michael!" said he: "you said it was a pleasant thing to have something to look forward to, and I have been looking forward to your account of the country in July; so please to begin at once."

Very willingly will I tell you anything that I know which will be of use to you, or amuse you. The shower that is just over has made everything as fresh as a daisy in its prime; and the sunshine after it is doubly welcome. The drops of rain remind me of God's mercies; for they are innumerable."

"We could never count the drops of rain, that is certain."

"And it is equally certain, we can never count God's mercies. The name of our almighty Maker is written on his glorious creation. Turn which way we will, his works declare his presence, his power, his wisdom, and his love. If we ask the question at sunrise, Is there a God? the flood of light, and the glowing colours of the sky in the east, will answer us; for who but God could fling such glory round the heavens? If we ask the question in mid-day, when the storm is raging, the thunder will reply, and the lightning give an answer; for who but God can send abroad such terrors? And if we ask the question at midnight, the moon and stars will seem to break silence, and declare who is their almighty Maker.

'For ever singing as they shine

The hand that made us is Divine.""

"Tell me about the flowers first. I think that

I like to hear about the flowers of the field better than I do those of the garden."

"The fields are decked with many-coloured flowers. The gipsy-wort, water-horehound, and wood-betony are blowing, and the white and yellow ladies' bed-straw. The beautiful convolvulus and fragrant water-mint adorn the hedges and ditches, the common is covered with the bellheath, the banks are rich with bluebells and lighter harebells, musk thistles boldly fling out their prickly stems and crimson-tufted flowers; while, in the corn fields, cockle, and viper's bugloss, and armies of scarlet-clad poppies, attract the eye, and spread a richness of colouring around.

What grateful scenes, what pleasant hours,

And happy thoughts we owe to flowers!

Or rather to His heavenly hand,

Who richly spreads them round the land."

"And what flowers are there in the garden?" "One of the fairest is the white lily, and a lovely flower it is. Then there are the enchanter's nightshade, and speedwell, and the pink and carnation tribe, and the scarlet lychnis ; and here and there a bold sunflower, and an elegant hollyhock."

"I cannot think how you remember them all, there are so many."

"Every one to his trade. You know I am a gardener, and I ought to be acquainted with these