George H. Walser’s “The Bouquet”

In 1897 George H. Walser’s volume of poetry “The Bouquet” was published.

The book promises that a volume title Orthopaedia would follow.

He will publish during the summer a philosophical work entitled “Orthopaedia” in which he demonstrates taht all the forces of nature, including polarity, gravity, electricity, magnetism, life, mind, atomic intelligence, spirits, etc., are constituents of matter.

The Preface reads:

PREFACE.

I shall make no apology for the presentation of this
little volume to the public. I well know its defects will
soon be singled out without my aid in that direction; and
its beauties, if any it has, will not fail to be appreciated
by the refined without special direction; therefore, I cast
it upon the great sea of literature for what it is worth.
If the association of sweet thoughts with fragrant flowers
be the means of lifting some sorrowing heart to the sun-
light of joy, or making the path of duty plainer to any
struggling soul, my labors will not be in vain.

I feel that no one will be rendered any worse in mind,
heart or soul for having companioned himself with the
following versifications. My aim has been to please,
elevate and refine. My hope is to make the world a lit-
tle better for having lived in it; and, to that end I have
kept in mind, in the production of the following poems, to
entwine character building, (at that critical time of life
when the young must choose among the many chequered
pathways before them which to take,) with tender heart-
throbs and a feeling of fraternity for all mankind. I
have intended that each poem should teach a moral, give
warnings of danger, tip to the road of duty, or direct the
mind to higher, nobler and grander achievements. How
well I have succeeded I leave my indulgent readers to say.
I have clustered around my heart the beauties of nature
made hallowed by fragrant flowers and thought aspira-
tions. The production of “The Bouquet” has been a great
harvest of pleasure to me, and I hope it will not fail to
impart pleasure to others. Song, flowers, birds and na-
ture enwrap the true heart with an appreciation of life
that brings the blessings of heaven, ‘mid scenes of earth
made glorious by smiles seasoned with love.

I am an optimist. I believe that life is worth living,
and that we make it about what it is. Half the ills we

have are of our own making. I believe in throwing
troubles away. 1 believe in casting aside the dark clouds
of despondency and looking above to the sunshine of
hope and pleasure. When I say above, 1 do not mean
in the skies, nor after death, but here and now. If we
always keep the “Now” happy, the future will never have
a cross.

I believe in strewing the pathway of life with flowers
of love, Kindness, Charity, Fraternity, and good-will for
all; granting to all their full meed of wage, weight, meas-
ure, rights and privileges as completely and as fully as
we demand for ourselves.

Flowers are typical of thoughts, desires and emo-
tions; and, as thoughts and desires lead to action, and
action to results we should be guided by the purity flow-
ers shed around us, and school ourselves with those
thoughts that will make our lives redolent with purity,
seasoned with love, guided by justice and protected by an
unswerving determination.

It is my hope, in presenting “The Bouquet,” to sow
in the minds of those who read it the flowers of beautiful
thoughts to bear fruitage of noble and useful lives.

Many flowers have names derived from mythical
events and legends which are both interesting and curious;
and I thought it would fill a want not yet supplied to
collate those myths in an appendix which I have clone and
am sure they will be both interesting and instructive.

The labors of my brain I now pass to the criticisms
of others. If they do not elicit admiration I hope they
will awaken a feeling of friendship, for friendship is the
half brother to love, and love is the brightest jewel of
heaven.

G. H. Walser

Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 6th, 1897.