60 FLORA HISTORICA. 



VIOLET. Viola odorata. 



Natural Order Campanacea. Cisti et Violea, Juss. A 

 Genus of the Pentandria Monogynia Class. 



Now gentle gales, 



Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense 

 Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole 

 These balmy spoils. 



Milton. 



Let the beauteous Violet 



Be planted, which, with purple and with gold 



Richly adorned, 



And that which creeps pale-coloured on the ground. 



Columella. 



The Violet that so beautifully embroiders the banks 

 of our hedge-rows, and so sweetly perfumes the 

 morning air of the Spring, is scarcely less a favour- 

 ite than the Rose, w r hich has, by universal consents 

 been made the emblem of Beauty, leaving the no 

 less admirable quality of Modesty to be represented 

 by the Violet, which is thus made to speak by the 

 pen of Desmartes, in the garland of Julia de Ram- 

 bouillet — 



Franche d'ambition, je me cache sous l'herbe, 

 Modeste en ma couleur, modeste en mon sejour ; 

 Mais si sur votre front je puis me voir un jour, 

 La plus humble des fleurs sera la plus superbe. 



