valuable information, if they had been at hand.  The mere titles of these books have often tantalized me with visions of riches beyond my reach.  I might indeed have sent for some of these from England, but I had announced this volume, and commenced the printing of it, before it occurred to me that it would be advisable to extend the matter beyond the limits I had originally contemplated.  I must now send it forth, “with all its imperfections on its head;” but not without the hope that in spite of these, it will be found calculated to increase the taste amongst my brother exiles here for flowers and flower-gardens, and lead many of my Native friends—­(particularly those who have been educated at the Government Colleges,—­who have imbibed some English thoughts and feelings—­and who are so fortunate as to be in possession of landed property)—­to improve their parterres,—­and set an example to their poorer countrymen of that neatness and care and cleanliness and order which may make even the peasant’s cottage and the smallest plot of ground assume an aspect of comfort, and afford a favorable indication of the character of the possessor.

D.L.R.

Calcutta, September 21st 1855.

ERRATA.

A friend tells me that the allusion to the Acanthus on the first page of this book is obscurely expressed, that it was not the root but the leaves of the plant that suggested the idea of the Corinthian capital.  The root of the Acanthus produced the leaves which overhanging the sides of the basket struck the fancy of the Architect.  This was, indeed, what I meant to say, and though I have not very lucidly expressed myself, I still think that some readers might have understood me rightly even without the aid of this explanation, which, however, it is as well for me to give, as I wish to be intelligible to all.  A writer should endeavor to make it impossible for any one to misapprehend his meaning, though there are some writers of high name both in England and America who seem to delight in puzzling their readers.

At the bottom of page 200, allusion is made to the dotted lines at some of the open turns in the engraved labyrinth.  By some accident or mistake the dots have been omitted, but any one can understand where the stop hedges which the dotted lines indicated might be placed so as to give the wanderer in the maze, additional trouble to find his way out of it.

[Illustration of a garden.]

ON FLOWERS AND FLOWER-GARDENS,

    For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the
    flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is
    come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

The Song of Solomon.

* * * * *

    These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! 
    Almighty, Thine this universal frame,
    Thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous then!