As to the beauty of Mosses and Lichens we have only to ask any artist or go into any exhibition of pictures. Their great beauty has been so lovingly described by Ruskin ("Modern Painters"), that no one can venture to do more than quote his description. It is well known to many, but none will regret having it called to their remembrance--"placuit semel--decies repetita placebit"--space, however, will oblige me somewhat to curtail it. "Meek creatures! the first mercy of the earth, veiling with hushed softness its dentless rocks: creatures full of pity, covering with strange and tender honour the sacred disgrace of ruin, laying quiet fingers on the trembling stones to teach them rest. No words that I know of will say what these Mosses are; none are delicate enough, none perfect enough, none rich enough.. . . . They will not be gathered like the flowers for chaplet or love token; but of these the wild bird will make its nest and the wearied child its pillow, and as the earth's first mercy so they are its last gift to us. When all other service is vain from plant and tree, the soft Mosses and grey Lichens take up their watch by the headstone. The woods, the blossoms, the gift-bearing Grasses have done their parts for a time, but these do service for ever. Trees for the builder's yard, flowers for the bride's chamber, Corn for the granary, Moss for the grave." FOOTNOTES: [164:1] There may be special appropriateness in the selection of the "furr'd Moss" to "winter-ground thy corse." "The final duty of Mosses is to die; the main work of other leaves is in their life, but these have to form the earth, out of which other leaves are to grow."--RUSKIN, _Proserpina_, p. 20. MULBERRIES. (1) _Titania._ Feed him with Apricocks and Dewberries, With purple Grapes, green Figs, and Mulberries. _Midsummer Night's Dream_, act iii, sc. 1 (169). (2) _Volumnia._ Thy stout heart, Now humble as the ripest Mulberry That will not bear the handling. _Coriolanus_, act iii, sc. 2 (78). (3) _Prologue._ Thisby tarrying in Mulberry shade. _Midsummer Night's Dream_, act v, sc. 1 (149). (4) _Wooer._ Palamon is gone Is gone to the wood to gather Mulberries. _Two Noble Kinsmen_, act iv, sc. 1 (87). (5) The birds would bring him Mulberries and ripe-red Cherries. _Venus and Adonis_ (1103). (_See_ CHERRIES.)