FLORA'S LEXICON. 15 



DONIS. Flos A.hnis. Class 18, Pol* 

 andria. Order: Poltotmll Aden 



killed, while hunting, by a boar. Venus, 

 who, for his sake, bad relinquished the joys 

 of Cythera, shed tears for the fate of her 

 favourite. They were not lost ; the earth 

 received them, and immediately produced a 

 light, delicate plant, covered with flowers resembling drops of 

 blood. Bright and transient flowers, too faithful emblems of the 

 pleasures of life, ye were consecrated by Beauty herself to pain- 

 ful recollections ! 



PAINFUL RECOLLECTIONS. 



Full twenty years have pass'd away, since thou, beloved one ! 

 With darkening eye to heaven upraised, the last time bless'd 



thy son ; 

 And meekly closing thy thin hands, with mine between them 



press'd, 

 Fled, with my name upon thy lips, to thine eternal rest 



My first, my last, my only friend ! — if aught the ransom'd know 

 Of the dark thoughts and sinful deeds that stain the world below, 

 How hath thy gentle spirit grieved, as but a mother's can, 

 To see thy precepts to the boy, neglected by the man ! 



But no ; thou art beatified ! — on yonder radiant shore, 



The sins and sorrows of thy child can trouble thee no more ; 



And if, in thy refulgent home, thou thinkest of me now, 



'T is with my childhood's innocence yet beaming on my brow ! 



So would I have thee see thy son, the wreck'd of passion's storm, 

 With prematurely wrinkled brow, pale cheek, and stooping form, 

 To thy soul's gaze, immortal one ! would ever present be, 

 The same fair child of guileless heart, that gamboll'd at thy knee. 



The Knickerbocker. 



