called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.”
The Palm-trees and their Cultivators.
The vegetation of the tropics impresses the stranger from a colder clime not only by the richness and luxuriance of its growth, and the intensity of its greenness, but also by the novelty of its forms. The light, graceful foliage of the margosa, the massive shade of the tamarind, the outstretching arms of the banyan with its series of supporting trunks, and the structure of many other noble trees, are new and beautiful. But it is upon the palms—well called the princes of the vegetable world—that he looks with most delight. Entirely unlike any of the forest or fruit-trees with which he has been at home familiar, they awaken trains of thought
