192 FLORA HISTORIC A. 



their transparent nature a shrub formed of the 

 most delicate porcelain. 



The Balsam demands our attention by two 

 singularities in its nature exclusive of its beauty. 

 The 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 Lnpa- 

 tiens has been given 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 embel- 

 lishments, 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 earlier period than is noticed by Marty n, 



