schively] PLANTS MENTIONED IN SHAKESPEARE 



377 



it by the names of love in idleness, Cupid's flower, heart's ease 

 is suggested in Hamlet — IV — 5 — 176 — Ophelia says: 

 "There's pansies — that's for thoughts." 



Love-in-idleness is commonly used in 

 Warwickshire today. Cupid's flower is a 

 name which is said to be peculiar to 

 Shakespeare. In the Taming of the Shrew, 

 we find : 



"But see, while idly, I stood looking on 

 I found the effect of love-in-idleness." 



— I— 1— 155- 

 Midsummer Night's Dream yields seven 

 references : 



Viola Tricolor 



"Flower of this purple 

 dye. 



Hit with Cupid's arch- 

 ery." — III — 2 — 702. 



"Dian's bud o'er Cupid's 

 flower. 



Hath such force and 

 blessed power." 



-IV-3-75. 



"It fell upon a little wes- 

 tern flower, 



Before milk white, now 

 purple with love's 

 wound, 

 And maidens call it 

 love-in-idleness. 



—II— 1— 166. Cowslip 



Primrose — cowslip — oxlip . 



Statements made by various authors seem to indicate that all 

 three of these are natives of England. They are members of the 

 order Primulaceae. These flowers hybridize very readily: and 

 natural crosses are very common. 



