48 FLORA HISTORICA. 



SWEET-WILLIAM, or BEARDED PINK. 



Dianihiis Barbatus. 



*' Sweet- William small has form and aspect brig-ht, 

 Like that sweet flower that yields g-reat Jove delight." 



Cowley. 



The Sweet- William is a species of Pink that 

 is indigenous to Germany, from whence it has 

 been scattered over all parts of Europe, for what 

 it wants in fragrance it supplies by masses of 

 flowers and splendour of colours, so as to ensure 

 it a welcome reception in all classes of gardens ; 

 for its large and compact umbel of variegated flow- 

 ers may be considered as Florals colour palette, 

 on which she has frolicked, with varying her fa- 

 vourite dyes to display all her gayest tints of reds 

 and purples, mingled with pure white and jetty 

 black, disposed in stars, as thickly set and as 

 bright as the eyes of Argus ; so that one stem 

 supports a large and brilliant bouquet, on which 

 account the Dutch gardeners formerly gave it the 

 name of Kej/kens, which is their famihar name 

 for a nosegay or large bunch of flowers. The 

 French also distinguish it by the name of (Billet 

 bouquet, nosegay of Pinks, and Bouquet parfait, 



