THE WHITE WATER-LILY,

THE QUEEN OF FLOWERS.

O, VAINLY seek ye, 'mid the garden's store,
For one Flower so preeminently fair

O'er all the rest, that right of sovereignty
Must seem her heritage. The Rose is bright,

And wondrous fragrant; yet the WOODBINE sheds,
From her long bloomy streamers, breath as sweet;
And on them both the VIOLET might turn
Her soft blue eye in gentlest reproach,
That perfume such as hers should be o'erpast.
E'en the white maiden JASMINE, in her pride,
Would take the hue of jealousy, and turn
To envious yellow her complexion pure,
Were she deemed than the rest less fit to reign.

Seek not the Floral Queen. among them all,
But leaving far behind the garden trim,
And shining palaces, where dwell the bright
Sun-worshippers of many a fervid clime,

Go to the lake's o'ershadowed margent, where,
Over the waves, like fairy-carpets spread
For summer revelry, lie leaves afloat,

Extending many a rood ;* broad dark-hued leaves,
Clothing the bosom of the water clear,

And gently heaving up and down, as though

Her breathing thus disturbed them.

'Midst these rise,

In pure and stately beauty, urn-like forms,

Just 'bove the water's height; some, not unclosed,

Are tinged with tenderest green; while others spread
Full to the warm down-gazing sun their deep,
White, sculpture-like, and softly-glowing cups
Of modelled petals, lit up from within

By one large anthered star of golden flame;
And, leaning on the dark green leaves, they lie,
These lovely, nymph-like Lilies, looking up
In worship and in love unto the sun,

On whom alone they smile; for when he goes
From his blue mid-day palace overhead,
And the trees cast long shadows on the lake,
The loving water-nymphs, no longer joyed
By the bright presence of their radiant god,
Fold their rich snowy robes, and, bending low,

"Lay floating many a rood."- MILTON.

Suffer the waves to sing a lullaby

Over their sleeping heads.

O, well might they,

The dusk, untutored Indians, bend before

Such perfect loveliness in adoration;

Well might they deem some god or spirit shrined
Within so bright a temple!

And shall we

In fancy e'er create a meaner flower

The sovereign of these sweet and beauteous ones?
No,- seek the Lilies' still, calm haunts, and see
The waters sporting round their pearly cups,
And flinging sunny gleams upon their snow,
Like smiles and blushes o'er a maiden's cheek.
If ye e'er gazed on aught more beautiful,
O, tell me what it was,- for ne'er have I.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

[SEE ENGRAVING.]

EDITORIAL.

FOUR hundred men are constantly employed on this stupendous structure, which now attracts a large share of public attention, and is progressing rapidly.

The interior presents a labyrinth of pillars, rods, ropes, and timbers, with workmen thickly scattered, who make the air resound with the clatter, clang, and creaking of their implements.

Visitors are excluded by a wooden enclosure, with gate-keepers; but the vicinity is daily visited by great numbers.

The quantity of iron used in the construction of the whole building will be nearly 1400 tons!

The galleries, which are 54 feet in width, contain 62,000 square feet, or about one and a half acres. The ground floor contains 111,000 square feet, or two and a half acres; making a total area of 182,000 square feet, or nearly four acres.

The extreme length of the structure is 365 feet, and its height 67 feet. It will cost about $300,000.

A great quantity of goods designed for exhibition have already arrived from abroad, and are stored in the U. S. bonded warehouses. Over 4000 applications from exhibiters have been received from this country alone, while those from Europe number about 3000; of which 700 are from England, 800 from Germany, and 500 from France.

It has been officially announced that the Palace will be opened on the 15th of July.

The products of various parts of the world, which will be collected here for exhibition, will probably surpass anything of the kind ever before witnessed.

PARENTAL DUTIES.

BY REV. J. W. GUERNSEY.

WHEN the childless Manoah was told that his arms should embrace a son, his only inquiry of the messenger-angel was, "How shall we order the child? And how shall we do unto him?"

These two questions involve the whole duty of parents to their children. First, control. How shall we order the child? Second, provision for its wants. How shall we do unto him? All parents acknowledge these duties in the abstract, and feel that they are inseparable from the parental relation. But, while they thus agree, there is great difference of opinion concerning their extent. One is satisfied with providing for the mere animal wants of the child, and exercising the slightest possible control, making parental care and authority merely nominal. Such a course may arise from thoughtlessness, or indifference, or from an idea that a fuller provision for the wants of a child, and a more rigid oversight of its conduct, will diminish its self-reliance, and impair the manly independence of its spirit. Other parents never seem to think they have done enough, while anything remains that can be done for their children. Some are ready to gratify every wish of the child, but leave its conduct uncontrolled. Some carefully watch the conduct of their children, while they are heedless of their wants. Between these wide extremes may be found every shade and phase of parental character and conduct.

Children are learners very early, and parents are responsible for the instruction they receive.

The dew-drop on the infant plant

Has warped the giant oak forever.

Far up among the Green Mountains of Vermont a little rivulet has its birth-place. For some distance its waters run on in a single channel, following the summit of the ridge. Just in the centre of the stream some little object divides it, and part flows to the right hand, and part to the left. Those divided waters never meet again, till they meet in the wide ocean; one stream flowing into the