are larger than any of the wild flowers of England can boast. They are to the casual observer an emblem of false hopes-he looks in vain for the bloom to come. "Grunsel" has been gathered for canaries and goldfinches; it has degenerated, being no longer considered a herb of power. 66 Many blooms have burst to light and still remain. April the capricious is ours again-the month of sunshine and shower, the childhood of the year! Her tears are welcome as the gentle drops from pity's eye-each tear a flower! Spring is now opening her eyes, the flowers. The Hooded Arum (arum maculatum), "Wake Robin," or 'Cuckoo Pint," has shown for some time its broad glossy leaves, marked with spots of jet. From the centre of the leaves, has arisen a beautiful natural sceptre. Some of these sceptres are white-others are of a violet-brown colour. They are each surrounded by a light green hood (the involucre). The plants grow sociably together. What joy to find them! and to guess if the hood covers a lord or a lady, a king or a queen-names given to the spadices in different parts of the country. Should the club be purple, it is a lord, if white a lady, if wide open, then my lord is in his couch. In autumn may be found, what sometimes puzzles the finder, a cluster of coral-like berries, attached to a stem, which stands alone. It is the base of the spadix of the Arum, the upper part having faded away. The "Germander Speedwell" (veronica chamadrys), sometimes called " 'Eye Bright,” has opened her bright eyes-they are called bird's eyes too. The Corn Law poet thus sings of it Blue eye bright, loveliest flower of all that grow In flower-loved England! Flower whose hedge-side gaze Yes, clustered is the word. What a cheerful company greets the delighted child! With what eager haste she throws her pinafore over them, calling out to her companions "All my own, and none for my neighbours." Rather a selfish exclamation, to be sure-but, ye landed proprietors, reprove her! The Daffodil has been gathered from the margin of the stream, or on moist ground. One of its provincial names has been sung Daffydowndilly just new come to townIn a yellow petticoat and a green gown. Wordsworth's beautiful lines descriptive of this flower may be addressed to many others seen again in the mind's eye, glorious as a reality, aye, more so-for they are linked with memories and old associations that are dearest to the heart. Daisies are here and there to be seen Those pearled arcturi of the earth, but their height of bloom is not yet. The same may be said of the buttercup. In the woods overshadowed by interlacing branches, yet not gloomy, as when overarched by the umbrageous leafage of summer, we find among the dry leaves, crisp under the foot, the "Wood Anemone,' making starlight amids dreariness; its hues are varied from purple to white, the white variety is beautifully tinged with pale lilac on the under side of the petals. "Anemones that take the winds of March with beauty," and continue in bloom much longer than many other flowers. Linnæ says the Anemone blooms in Sweden on the arrival of the Cuckoo. Its name Anemone is from the Greek Anemos. The pasque anemone is rare in England, but when found, it is seen making a lively fluttering show in the full sunlight, as if it joyed in it. It is called pasque from its blooming about the time of the Passover. Also "Flora's Bell" as it rings in her floral blooms. The Wood Anemone will, ere the month be out, be diversified by the clusters of the cruciform flowers of the asperula odorata Sweet Scented Woodruff, the leaf and flower, when faded, have the scent of the Tonquin Bean or New Hay. The delicate "Wood Sorrel" will also bloom there. How elegant are its pencilled flowers and drooping buds!-its heart-shaped leaves too, triply folded, are an additional beauty. Its roots creep like beaded coral. It is a highly sensitive plant shrinking almost from the touch. Linnæ says in Sweden it is the first flower of Spring. One of its names is "Cuckoo's Meat," another Alleluya-the last name it still bears in the South. It is a trefoil (from its triple leaves), and has been considered by many to be the Irish Shamrock, while others give that honour to the white trifolium repens, commonly called Clover or Honeysuckle. The "Rathe" (early) Primrose will be then also sweetly diversified by the Hyacinth (non Scriptus), though both flourish best on banks, and hedge-rows. The Viola tricolor is beginning to appear in some localities, it is a pretty little thing, the origin of the garden Pansey. The Cowslip will be in bloom before the end of the month, also the Oxlip, from the last-named came the rich coloured Polyanthus of the garden. The garden boasts its show of varied Crocuse, Golden Lamps, the yellow variety have been so called. The "Daphne Mezereon" blooms on a leafless bough like the Silvery Almond. The Almond is an emblem of haste and watchfulness, as is exemplified in Scripture: "What seest thou?" said the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah, he made answer "I see a rod of an Almond Tree." Then said the Lord, "Well hast thou seen, for I will hasten my word and will perform it." There are a great many varieties of the Cranesbills wild in England-the earliest is the Geranium molle, it bears rose-coloured flowers and round leaves, the stem and leaves are covered with soft hairs. The French call it Pied de Pigeon. Another of the Cranesbills "Herb Robert," as it was formerly called, has bright pink flowers and rose-tinted stems and leaves. The "Ground Ivy," called "Robin run in the hedge," is beginning to creep along the banks, and the Brony is forming its elegant wreaths of bright, glossy green leaves to crown the hedges. The heart-shaped shepherd's purse "Capsula Bursa,” is to be found, and Chickweed too, by the wayside. The red and purple Dead Nettle is almost everywhere with as those of the rich man; and rather than be practi to be seen in gay contrast to the "Snowy Stitchwort" and Pink Vetch. In woods and shady places, the "Moschatel Adoxa" from its musk-like scent, is to be found-it is most perceptible where the flower is oppressed with the dews of the morning and evening. It is an insignificant plant, bearing small green flowers. The "Wood Scorpeon Grass" is found in pastures, and, ere the month be out, the Wallflower will bloom on the wall. Grey ruin's golden crown! Proudly it roots itself above the rest, As genius does, and from the rocky bower Go whisper, then, sweet wallflower, in each sigh of thy rich cally subdued by submitting to the taming process of education—and thus admitting the superiority of conceited wealth-he prefers either to cultivate his physical powers, or, if he has by Nature unextinguishable mental qualifications, he goes on doggedly inventing something which has been better done fifty times before, and looks upon his inevitable discomfiture at last as an injustice done to him by society. He is soured, disappointed, and remains a poor and ignorant man. The writer has been thrown into contact with many such men, and it is scarcely possible to conceive a more unpleasant task than to extinguish the hopes that have for months and years been growing in the mind of some breath--perhaps-working-man, who has spent his leisure hours and his money on some pet scheme, which falls like a pack of cards at the appearance of a wood engraving, or a paragraph in some practical book. The yellow and grey Catteins of the Willow (Salix Capra) are gathered for Palm Sunday; they are called "Yellow Goslings," also "Pussy Cats." Children carry the branches in memoriam of the branches borne in honour of our Saviour's entry into Jerusalem. The Olive in some countries is used as palm, it being represented in different countries by some tree green at the time where no palm grows. Where it does, the branches are sold in the market, and the flower-bud branches are blanched by some process till they look like ivory rods. The Hazel hangs out her tassels, and the elegant Larch waves gracefully her rosy ones. The forest trees are bursting into leaf. Soon what a glory will the earth put on, with the blooms of orchards and fields, and the varied and rich hues of the garden ground! We will leave them for the fairy-footed May to gather. IMPOSSIBILITIES. NAPOLEON is said to have objected to the word impossible, It is, however, difficult to conceive any process by which two and two could make five : and the knowledge of this fact will, no doubt, prevent any one from trying it. People do, however, from ignorance, occasionally try things which are as impossible as this; and it would perhaps be of great service, if any one who has been disappointed by the entire failure of his pet scheme, would publish his exact experience -as a warning to future explorers in the same direction; for a finger-post which says, "This is the way you must not go," will sometimes be almost as scrviceable as one which points out the true road. It is quite true that many of our most useful discoveries have been made by accident. Blind and ignorant explorers, rambling about in the dark, may certainly sometimes kick against a precious stone; but the probabilities are much greater that they bruise their shins against a common boulder, and their chance of finding the jewel would certainly not be diminished by taking a lantern with them. By all means, therefore, take as much light as you can get, even although the sun may be shining ever so brightly: a heavy cloud may come over your path, when it will be useful. It may be thought that this advice is, in modern times, quite unnecessary, when every one can so easily obtain the means of education, and when knowledge is, as it were, administered to the multitude like medicine-whether they like it or not-simply because it is good for them. But it is not so. There is now, as there always has been, an obstinate, refractory fellow who won't be dictated to by anybody, and who believes that brains implanted by Nature in a poor man's head are quite as fit for thinking There is, for instance, now in existence a man who is obstinately seeking after Perpetual Motion, with just enough of mechanical knowledge to make him a schemer. To convince him of its impossibility, it would be necessary to educate him so that he would understand the reason; but he smiles at any such attempts, in the full belief that he is a natural genius, and knows better. It is really very melancholy to meet with such cases in this age of diffuse knowledge; but they will always exist to some extent until the rudiments of Mechanics are made part of education in every school; for the man who thoroughly understands the principles of a lever can never be persuaded to attempt to invent a perpetual motion. He may, however, in common with men of great pretensions, design ingenious mistakes, and even patent them, unless he meet with an agent who has knowledge enough to detect the error, and courage enough to forego the chance of fees. It would save many a man an aching heart and an empty pocket, if he took his plan in confidence to some skilled person, and paid his fee for an opinion. Amongst some of the newest designs that are floating in uncertainty, and some of them patented, there is a sort of pocket steam-engine, the piston of which is to be driven by successive explosions of small charges of gunpowder, introduced under it in the cylinder. This is intended to give great power in a small engine, if it can be made strong enough to stand the shock. It would be followed, no doubt, by cannon balls in harness, instead of locomotives for railways. Another person wishes to cover all our ships of war outside with strong furniture springs, like those that make such excellent feather beds, as a sort of cushion to deaden the effect of a ball arriving suddenly. It would also, it is said, be easily repaired, by picking out the shot from amongst the damaged springs, and putting in perfect ones. It has also been seriously suggested to attach large sky rockets to a parachute, or umbrella capable of carrying a man, for use as a reconnoitering instrument in warfare. He would be carried up by the rockets at a good speed, and, when just at the turn, must open the umbrella, and object, and that the mind involuntarily appreciates the discome down easily. Seriously, however, these are not exaggerated specimens of the wild inventions that are brought to light and shine like meteors for a moment, but go out again, leaving us darker than before. It was lately announced that some one professed to take photographs in natural colours. The announcement interested no true photographer, who understood the principles of his science, because the art is based upon a fact that forbids all hope of ever getting an impression reproduced by natural colours. Light is composed of coloured rays, which, when mixed, appear white; but, when reflected separately from suitable surfaces show themselves to the eye, the remainder being absorbed by the substance seen, and remaining invisible. Of these coloured rays the reds and yellows have no photographic effect, and such effects as are produced by the remaining rays are all alike, differing only in degree-the violet being most powerful. Under these circumstances, then, it is hopeless to waste time in trying after it. The analysis of light, and the experiments which have been made to show the actual dimensions of a wave or vibration of light, leave no doubt on the mind of an optician of the present day that we have arrived at a limit beyond which no microscope can be increased in power. Some animals are known to exist which appear only like a moving point, but capable of moving in any direction, and evidencing a will of their own by avoiding collision with each other. Now, if one of these is so small as only to afford room on its body for one vibration of light, the microscope can never hope to see its limbs or separate members; because, seeing by means of light in vibration, one vibration can only produce one impression on the nerves of the retina. This limit, however, is far enough removed from ordinary requirements, so that it is not likely to be felt by any but scientific men. The question of steering balloons is, however, of more importance, and has been fully discussed. It is certain that a balloon, large enough to carry men and an engine of any kind capable of exerting power to steer with, cannot be made, because the strongest form of engine would be still too heavy, or the smallest balloon would still have too much surface for the air to act upon, and it is only possible at present to slightly steer a balloon in an atmosphere perfectly still. Even the substitution of electricity for steam, which has such a fascination, has been forsaken by those who know the mechanical value of a unit of electricity and its cost of production. To produce electricity, you must either decompose something which costs a great deal more in proportion than coals, or you must have motion and magnets, and the power expended is always greater than the magnet or the electricity could reproduce, and must always be so. Even in the case of a steam-engine, there is a limit now satisfactorily ascertained, but not yet nearly reached, beyond which the economy of fuel cannot go. An unit of heat can only do a well-ascertained amount of work; and it is also known how many units of heat are contained in any coal, and it is impossible to get more out of it. In speaking of optics, we might have noticed the impudent advertisements which profess to produce stereoscopic effects with one picture. You might just as well expect to see both sides of a penny with one eye at the same moment. The phenomenon of solidity depends upon the fact that you see with each eye a separate view of any tances between the two pictures, thus producing the idea of solidity. Bend this page round your finger, and look at it separately with each eye: you will be able to read words with the right eye that you cannot see with the left, and vice versa. It doesn't matter to your eye whether the impression is produced by the real thing or a photograph; therefore, if you look with the right eye at the right picture, and the left eye at a picture on the left side -a process effected in the stereoscope-you will see the effect of solidity. But the pictures are essentially different, and therefore it is impossible to make one view alone produce the effect. We might mention several other subjects which in all human probability are impossible, but this article has already exceeded its specified limits. THREE hundred years ago, more or less, was born, ia a small village in England, a child christened by his parents William. The father of the aforesaid child was a woolstapler, in easy circumstances, an alderman of the little town, and his name was John Shakspeare. However elated Mr. and Mrs. Shakspeare may have been by the birth of this son, and whatever may have been their hopes for his future welfare, we are confident that his career exceeded their fondest wishes. He made himself popular while living; and now, after a lapse of three centuries, his fame is fresher than ever, and nations are eager to do homage to his name. Absolutely speaking, this, and the fact that he was married and died, is all that is known of him who approached nearer the gods than any mortal since the days of Tithonus. Perhaps this vague knowledge we have of Shakspeare's history, the mystery which shrouds every event of his life, may account in some slight measure for the almost romantic reverence in which his name is held. The present article may seem out of place even now, at a time when every one is in a state of semi-enthusiasm respecting the great Poet; but we are confident that we shall have some readers who will be acquainted with Shakspeare only by name, and to whom the slight chronicles of his life which we now attempt will be of some little interest. We also have a wish to give a brief sketch of the author's life, garnered from the most reliable sources, and in which we "nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." A volume has been written on the orthography of Shakes peare's name alone; and, from the various ways in which it has been spelt, he would be a wise philosopher indeed, who could say which was the correct one. In the register of his baptism at Stratford it is written Shakspere, and in the entry of the birth of his children and that of his own death the same orthography is preserved. There is a volume in the British Museum which contains his autograph; the same way of spelling the name is observed, while in the quarto edition of "Love's Labour Lost" it is Shakespere. In the "Much Ado About Nothing" of 1600 his name is spelt Shakespeare, as it is also in several other plays of his published about the same date. In the "Hamlet" of 1603 it is Shake-speare, in the " 'King Lear" of 1608 Shak-speare. The signature to his will is too illegible to be deciphered, but it is either Shakspere or Shakspeare. There is one more illustration of the manner in which the |