NARCISSUS. 91 



While first to fill her little lap she strives, 

 Hell's grizly monarch at the shade arrives ; 

 Sees her thus sporting on the flou'ry green, 

 And loves the blooming maid as soon as seen. 



Maynwahing's Ovid. 



Shakspeare alludes to this story in the Winter's 

 Tale, as well as to the early season in which the 

 blossoms of the Daffodil appear. 



O, Proserpina, 



For the flowers now that, frightened, thou let'st fall 

 From Dis's waggon ! Daffodils, 

 That come before the swallow dares, and take 

 The winds of March with beauty. 



Milton has also noticed this early-flowering spe- 

 cies of the Narcissus, among the plants he selects to 

 adorn the tomb of Lycidas, in which is 



every flower that sad embroidery wears : 



****** 



And Daffodillies fill their cups with tears, 

 To strew the laureat hearse where Lycid lies. 



This flower was evidently considered a kind of 

 Lily by early writers, and we are of opinion that 

 the name is a corruption of Dis's lily, as it is sup- 

 posed to be the flower dropped from the chariot of 

 that god, in his flight with Proserpine. Skinner 

 supposes it corrupted from Asphodelus. Spenser 

 spells it DhTadillies, and in one instance he says — 



Strew me the green round with Daffodowndillies, 

 And Cowslips, and King-cups, and loved Lilies. 



