AMARANTH. 231 



poets have frequently named it, and we sometimes 

 find itj^s in Milton, an imaginary flower, supposed, 

 according to its name, never to fade. Pope men- 

 tions it in his Ode for St. CeciHa's day : 



By tlie streams that ever flow. 

 By the fragrant winds that blow 



O'er the Elysian flow'rs ; 

 By those happy souls that dwell 

 In yellow meads of Asphodel, 



Or Amaranthine bow'rs. 



M. Constant Dubos, in a charming idyl, has sung 

 of this flower, the sight of which consoles us for the 

 rigours of winter. After having regretted the 

 rapid flight of flowers and the spring, he says ; 



Je t'aperc^ois, belle et noble amarante ! 



Tu ^aens m'offrir, pour charmer mes douleurs, 



De ton velours la richesse eclatante ; 



Ainsi la main de Tamitie constante, 



Quand tout nous fuit, vient essu^'er nos pleurs. 



Ton doux aspect de ma lyre ])laintive 



A ranime les accords languissans ; 



Dernier tribut de Flore fugitive, 



Elle nous legue, avec la fleur tardive, 



Le souvenir de ses premiers presens. 



Amongst the most familiar of this genus of plants 

 is Amaranthus Caudatiis, known by the melan- 

 choly name of Love-lies-bleeding, and which the 

 French call Discipline de Religieuse, and Queue de 

 JRenard, Fox's Tail. This species, which is a na- 

 tive of the East Indies, was cultivated by Gerard, 

 under the name of Branched Flower Gentle, as long 



