For indeed Crocus and Carduus are alike Benedict flowers, if only one knew God's gold and purple from the Devil's, which, with St. George's help, and St. Anthony's,--the one well knowing the flowers of the field, and the other those of the desert,--we will try somewhat to discern. FORS CLAVIGERA. LETTER XXVII. Brantwood, 27th January, 1873. "If it were not so, I would have told you." I read those strange words of St. John's gospel this morning, for at least the thousandth time; and for the first time, that I remember, with any attention. It is difficult, if not impossible, to attend rightly without some definite motive, or chance-help, to words which one has read and re-read till every one of them slips into its place unnoticed, as a familiar guest,--unchallenged as a household friend. But the Third Fors helped me, to-day, by half effacing the n in the word Mona, in the tenth century MS. I was deciphering; and making me look at the word, till I began to think of it, and wondered. You may as well learn the old meaning of that pretty name of the isle of Anglesea. "In my Father's house," says Christ, "are many monas,"--remaining-places--"if it were not so, I would have told you." Alas, had He but told us more clearly that it was so! I have the profoundest sympathy with St. Thomas, and would fain put all his questions over again, and twice as many more. "We know not whither Thou goest." That Father's house,--where is it? These "remaining-places," how are they to be prepared for us?--how are we to be prepared for them? If ever your clergy mean really to help you to read your Bible,--the whole of it, and not merely the bits which tell you that you are miserable sinners, and that you needn't mind,--they must make a translation retaining as many as possible of the words in their Greek form, which you may easily learn, and yet which will be quit of the danger of becoming debased by any vulgar English use. So also, the same word must always be given when it is the same; and not in one place translated "mansion," and in another "abode." (Compare verse 23 of this same chapter. [12]) Not but that "mansion" is a very fine Latin word, and perfectly correct, (if only one knows Latin,) but I doubt not that most parish children understand by it, if anything, a splendid house with two wings, and an acre or two of offices, in the middle of a celestial park; and suppose that some day or other they are all of them to live in such, as well as the Squire's children; whereas, if either "mona" or "remaining" were put in both verses, it is just possible that sometimes both the Squire and the children, instead of vaguely hoping to be lodged some day in heaven by Christ and His Father, might take notice of their offer in the last verse I have quoted, and get ready a spare room both in the mansion and cottage, to offer Christ and His Father immediately, if they liked to come into lodgings on earth.