. Sun dials and roses of yesterday; garden delights which are here displayed in every truth and are moreover regarded as emblems . letters were positively written to me. In one shetells the story of this sun-dial : — I send you a likeness of the sun-dial, and here Is thestory of It, if you care to know. In one sense the sun-dialIs old, and In another sense It Is quite new. It would do to describe It either way. Years ago at M I knew a stone-masons yard where old stone might be picked In those days I could often find choice old tomb-stones and bits of church architecture and old LondonB
. Sun dials and roses of yesterday; garden delights which are here displayed in every truth and are moreover regarded as emblems . letters were positively written to me. In one shetells the story of this sun-dial : — I send you a likeness of the sun-dial, and here Is thestory of It, if you care to know. In one sense the sun-dialIs old, and In another sense It Is quite new. It would do to describe It either way. Years ago at M I knew a stone-masons yard where old stone might be picked In those days I could often find choice old tomb-stones and bits of church architecture and old LondonBridge parapets, stone balls, etc. My last bargain in thestone-yard was four corners of a tomb of the sort commona hundred or more years ago. For fifteen years I doubtedwhat to do with them, till suddenly one summer day a sun- Pedestals and Gnomons 213 dial was decided. The difficulties of arranging it weregreat, and the work filled up at least two happy old carved stone tablets with lines in alto relievowere made to grace the sun-dials head. The lines walkwith stately step from the sun rising southwards towards. Sun-dial made from Old Tomb, Huntercombe Manor,Maidenhead, England. the north. The well-weathered marble brackets on whichthe gnomon rests had lain in patience under the laurelsfor many a year till Time brought round an hour and aplace for them. And then came the fulfilment of thewhole, the motto of a famous architect given to me, andengraved around the upper step. Lux et umbra vicissim^ sedsemper amor. This motto, published in my Garden of Pleas-ure^ has been since translated into English and printed in 214 Sun-dials and Roses of Yesterday someone elses garden book. I wish you could see thewhite lily planted two autumns ago just under the loweststep. The slender shaft of its stalk carries now forthe first time three or four buds, and when the sun shinesupon it a delicate half-transparent shadow slants across thestone. For some reason known to itself this
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectsundial, bookyear1902
