MARVEL OF PERU. 263 



MARVEL OF PERU. Mirabilis. 



Natural Order Nyctagines, Juss : a Genus of the 



Pentandna Monogynia Class. 



" Of colours, changing from the splendid Rose 

 To tlic pale Violet's dejected hue." 



Akenside. 



Of this marvellous plant of the New World, 

 whose flowers seem too timid to expand their 

 variously coloured corollas even to an European 

 meridian sun, and on which account the French 

 have named it Belle de Nuit, M. Constant Dubos 

 has given us the following beautiful lines : — 



" Solitaire amante des nuits, 

 Pourquoi ces timides alarraes, 

 Quand ma muse au jour que tu fuis 

 S'apprete a reveler tes charmes ? 

 Si, parpudeur, aux indiscrets 

 Tu caches ta fleur purpurine, 

 En nous derobant tes attraits, 

 Permets du moins qu'on les devine. 



Lorsque I'aube vient eveiller 



Les brillantes fiUes de Flore, ' Z 



Seule tu sembles somraeiller 



^t craindre T eclat de I'aurore. 



