EAST LONDON RANUNCULUS SOCIETY.

SUNBURY HORTICULTURAL AND FLORISTS' SOCIETY. THE Annual Meeting of the Sunbury Horticultural and Florists' Society was held at the National-school House, on Wednesday, the 26th of June, when prizes

NEW LIST OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

RANUNCULUS-FLOWERED.

(To be continued.)

CHOOSING

BY A BOOKWORM.

40

THE REVIEWER.

Mr. Hogg's Book on Floriculture.

It is hardly fair to criticise persons instead of their books; but there are times and circumstances which so completely identify the writer with the writing, that it is impossible to notice one without the other. This volume was briefly noticed in The Royal Lady's Magazine for June, and the writer treated with some severity. The justice of a criticism is, as it should be, our first aim. We are disposed to be merciful where there is no pretence; but having vainly endeavoured to understand Mr. Hogg's book, we are obliged to fall in with those who think it the mere gabble of a silly old gentleman, perfectly ignorant of the subject he treated of, and who therefore wrote what he heard from individuals who seem to have delighted in hoaxing him. Nothing is more clear to the reader of Mr. Hogg's book than the fact of the writer's total incapacity, for he contradicts himself a dozen times over; nothing is more plain than his vanity, for it is exhibited in every page; nothing more obvious than his folly, for the volume which is got up for the purpose of enabling him to ask every body he knows for a few shillings, is personal and offensive towards the very class upon which he must chiefly depend for its sale. And, where the incapacity, the vanity, and the folly of a writer are equally conspicuous, there can be little hope of a single redeeming page. The greater part of the volume is occupied with observations on the tulip, and with insinuations against persons not mentioned by name, though pointed at with artful accuracy; but the most remarkable feature is the author's unintentional confession or admission, that he is endeavouring to deceive the reader, though it is obvious enough he has not the head to accomplish the praiseworthy intention. The tulip has been cultivated by many persons who were excellent judges and growers of the flower, but who seldom tried to connect cause and effect, so that until very recently little has been known of it beyond the fact, that it flourishes in this or that soil. This paucity of knowledge has given empirics like Mr. Hogg an opportunity of cajoling the public upon the subject of growing them, as though there were any more mystery about it than there is in growing a cabbage. Mr. Hogg in one part of his book affirms that there is no merit in breaking (as it is technically called) a new variety of tulip; and by way of illustration, he compares an old and highly-respected cultivator, who affirms the contrary (and claims the merit of breaking some of the finest varieties now grown), to the fool who thought he played the organ while he only blowed the bellows. Now we, who pretend not to be florists, know no more which of the two gentlemen is right than we know who built the pyramids of Egypt, but we will, for argument's sake, and for the sake of "Mr. Thomas Hogg, gardener, Paddington, London," give him credit for knowing all about the matter. Taking it for granted then, that Mr. Hogg's assertion-that there is no merit in breaking a new tulip-that it is all chance, and that any body who thinks otherwise is a fool like the bellows-blower, we should like Mr. Hogg to inform us why he fills his book with mysterious, cunning, difficult, but always infallible, directions how to break tulips-how to do that which in another place he says is the work of chance, and tells us that there is no merit in accomplishing it.

Mr. Hogg therefore gives evidence in his own trash that he either makes a false assertion about the merit of breaking a tulip, or he deceives us with directions how to do it. In either case it is lowering himself, if he can be lowered, for the world know too much of empiricism to pay attention to his nostrums, and the only buyers of his volume will be those who in charity "forbear all things."

We wish some rich fancier of flowers would buy the whole impression to burn, for the man wants the money, and the book ought to be out of the way, it is a disgrace to floriculture.

The Life of Governor Morris; with Selections from his Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers. By Jared Sparks. Boston: Gray and Bowen. London: Kennett.

Governor Morris was, it appears, one of those men who not only think and act, but who leave behind them evidence of a thoughtful and active life. His career was remarkable: His great ancestor, Richard Morris, was a leader in the armies of Oliver Cromwell, his more recent ancestors were governors of New Jersey; and his father was chief justice of New York, at the college of which young Morris was educated; who at twenty practised as a lawyer; he was soon chosen a member of the provincial Congress, and proved an active, intelligent, and useful coadjutor of Washington, at the period when America was struggling for independence. The following extracts from a letter to the general, reminds us of a cabinet resignation in this country.

As to your friend,' who has thought proper to demand of you a command, I did believe from the first, that his resignation was, like some former ones from the same quarter, merely calculated to gain either promotion, or favour, or revenge. I was therefore led to expect, that his merits and our misfortune in losing him, would become the topic of declamation, and took the earliest opportunity to express in the very strongest terms my satisfaction, my joy, at the receipt of the letter from him, and of consequence to assign the reasons why this event gave me so much pleasure. This gave a very different turn to affairs. Panegyric dwindled to apology, and no opposition was made to the main point of accepting his resignation. The next day I was informed, that he did not intend to resign, that his letter was quite misunderstood, &c. The gentleman, however, had been so unlucky as to use the most pointed terms, and therefore his aid, from whom the information camne, was told that the observations he made came too late. I am persuaded, that he will attempt to get reinstated, if the least probability of success appears, but I am equally persuaded, that his attempts will fail. I believe his friends are hitherto of the same opinion, and therefore we have as yet had no attempts made in Congress, and possibly we never shall. I am, &c.

The most amusing portion of this volume is the extracts from Morris's diary, of which he appears to have kept a good one, of the events during his stay in Paris; not merely a record of events, but also a diary of his own thoughts and observations, and from these we shall offer a selection.

March 25th.-Went to Madame de Chastellux's. Madame de Ségur and M. de Puisignieu arrived shortly after. In a few minutes the Duchess of Orleans, and then more company. The Duchess is affable, and handsome enough to punish the Duke for his irregularities. Madame de Ségur goes away early, as the company seems determined to increase. The widow of the late Duke of Orleans comes in, and at going away, according to custom, kisses the Duchess. I observe that the ladies of Paris are very fond of each other; which gives room to some observations from her Royal Highness on the person, who has just quitted the room, which show that the kiss does not always betoken great affection. In going away, she is pleased to say, that she is glad to have met me; and I believe her. The reason is, that I dropped some expressions and sentiments a little rough, and which were agreeable, because they contrast with the palling polish she constantly meets with everywhere. Hence, I conclude, that the less I have the honour of such good company the better; for, when the novelty ceases, all is over, and I shall probably be worse than insipid.

March 27th.-At three the Maréchal de Castries calls, and takes me to dine with Monsieur and Madame Necker. In the salon we found Madame. She seems to be a woman of sense, and somewhat of the masculine in her character. A little before dinner Monsieur enters. He has the look and manner of the counting-house, and, being dressed in embroidered velvet, he contrasts strongly with his habiliments. His bow, his address, say, "I am the man.' Our company is one half academicians. The Duchess of Biron, formerly Lauzun is one. I observe that M. Necker seems occupied by ideas which rather distress him. He cannot, I think, stay in office half an hour, after the nation insist on keeping him there. He is now much harassed, and Madame receives continually Mémoires from different people; so that she seems as much occupied as he is. If he is really a very great man, I am deceived; and yet this is a rash judgment. If he is not a laborious man, I am also deceived.