SO FLORA'S LEXICON. 



VENING PRIMROSE. (Enothera. Class 

 8, Octandria. Order : Monogynia. It is 

 uncertain when this beautiful flower was 

 first introduced into England, though we 

 know that it was brought from Virginia to 

 Padua, in the year 1619. It is a general 

 favourite with our poets, who give it a very 

 different character to that we have assigned to it in floral lan- 

 guage. We presume that it has been made the emblem of In- 

 constancy on account of the transient duration of its flowers. It 

 opens between six and seven o'clock in the^vening. 



INCONSTANCY. 

 When once the sun sinks in the west, 

 And dew-drops pearl the Evening's breast; 

 Almost as pale as moon-beams are, 

 Or its companionable star, 

 The evening primrose opes anew 

 Its delicate blossoms to the dew ; 

 And, hermit-like, shunning the light, 

 Wastes its fair bloom upon the Night, 

 Who, blindfold to its fond caresses, 

 Knows not the beauty he possesses. 

 Thus it blooms on while Night is by; 

 When Day looks out with open eye, 

 'Bash'd at the gaze it cannot shun, 

 It faints, and withers, and is gone, 



Clare. 



How long must women wish in vain 



A constant love to find 1 

 No art can fickle man retain, 



Or fix a roving mind. 

 Yet fondly w ? e ourselves deceive, 



And empty hopes pursue; 

 Though false to others, we believe 



They w T ill to us prove true. 



Shad well. 



