[Illustration: _Artificial Flowers_]
the sight of which gave great pleasure to the young ladies. Here
they perceived flowers of every description, some in wreaths for the
ball-room, others for the head, and some in bunches, either for the
bonnet or the bosom.
"What can be more beautiful than this _bouquet_ of Rosebuds, Myrtle,
and Geranium, how faithful a copy from nature!" exclaimed Mrs.
Durnford, "at a little distance you would never suppose them to be
artificial. Had it been my lot to have toiled for my daily support,
I think I should have preferred this business to any other. It is a
minor sort of painting, as the different teints must all be arranged
by the hand of taste. I have seen flowers that were scented with the
perfume belonging to them, but this made them come expensive, and
they now make them with the glowing colours of nature, but without
the richness of her scent. I love to encourage humble merit, and will
therefore order a few of its productions to be sent to Ivy Cottage."
"The flowers are beautiful, mamma, but how much more beautiful are
those