176 FLORA HISTORICA. 



first is the elasticity of the capsule when ripe, which 

 darts out its seed the moment it is touched, and 

 hence the generic name of Impatiens has been 

 o"iven it ; and it has, on the same account, been 

 made the emblem of Impatience, but the Turks 

 represent Ardent Love by this flower. 



The foliage of this plant is of a fine green 

 colour, shaped like that of the almond or peach- 

 tree, but contrary to the nature of plants in general 

 it droops in the cool of the night, whilst it erects 

 itself in the heat of day, which causes most other 

 plants to fade. From this singularity of the Bal- 

 sam, it has been ingeniously compared to the way 

 of a coquette, who, when deprived of beauty, spends 

 the whole of the day in preparing embellishments, 

 by which she may shine for a few hours in the 

 evening circles of the gay and thoughtless. 



By whom and at what time the Balsam was first 

 introduced to this country is uncertain ; but it was 

 evidently an inmate of our gardens at a much ear- 

 lier period than is noticed by ]\Iartyn, in Miller, 

 or by Aiton in the Hortus Kewensis, who mention 

 its cultivation by Gerard in 1596. Dr. Turner 

 tells us, in 1564, that it " groweth much in Italy, 

 and some places of England in gardlnes." This 

 old author has fortunately pictured the plant in 

 his work, and he observes, that " it is called in 

 barbarous Latin Balsamina,'' Gerard distinguishes 



