OF THE FOREST. 71

plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with
pleasant fruits; camphire with spikenard,
spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon,
with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and
aloes, with all the chief spices ; a fountain of
gardens, a well of living waters, and streams
from Lebanon.” Cant. iv. 12—15.

“ Very beautiful,” I replied, “and well re-
membered ; but tell me, who is supposed to
repeat this passage ?”

She answered, “ Our Saviour, sir; and he
speaks it of his church.”

“Then you imagine,” I replied, “ that the
garden inclosed is the true church, and all the
plants therein are the people?”

“ Yes, sir,’ she said; “those who love God
are the plants growing in this garden, and
some of them are tall and noble, like the
cedar-tree, and others are small and of less
beauty ; others supply pleasant fruit, others
are good only for shade, others are very lovely
to look at, and others fill the air with sweet
odours ; but altogether they make the garden
very beautiful, and none are to be despised.”

« And do you suppose, Aimée,” I asked,
“that you yourself are one of the members of
this garden ?”