370 FLORA HISTORICA. 



fourteen feet in his garden at Holborn, producing 

 flowers that measured sixteen inches over ; and 

 he adds, that in Spain this plant has been known 

 to reach the height of twenty-four feet. 



The French call this flower Soleil and Tourne- 

 sol, from a vulgar error that the blossoms turn to 

 the sun, whereas the flowers branch out on all 

 sides of the plant, and those which face the east 

 at the opening of day never turn to the west at 

 the close of it, although our poet of the Seasons 

 evidently was of the popular opinion that the 

 Helianthus flower regularly turned to the sun. 



" Who can unpitying- see the flowery race, 



Shed by the morn, their new-flushed bloom resign. 

 Before the parching- beam ? So fade the fair, 

 When fevers revel throus^h their azure veins. 

 But one, the lofty follower of the sun. 

 Sad when he sets, shuts up her yellow leaves 

 Drooping- all nig-ht, and, when he warm returns, 

 Points her enamoured bosom to his ray." 



Moore introduces the same allusion in his Irish 

 Melodies : 



" As the Sun-flower turns to her god when he sets 

 The same look which she turned when he rose." 



These poetical ideas seem borrowed from Ovid's 

 transformation of Cly tia : 



*' But angry Phcebus hears, unmov'd, her sighs, 

 And scornful from her loatli'd embraces flies. 



