92 FLORAL EMBLEMS. 



CHILDISHNESS. 



Butter-cups. — Ranunculus hulbosus. 



" And daisy there, and cowslip too. 

 And butter-cups of golden hue. 

 The children meet as soon as sought, 

 And gain their wish as soon as thought ; 

 Who oft, I ween, the children's way. 

 Will leap the threshold's bounds to play." 



Village Minstrel. 



This flower, which so gaily bedecks our mea- 

 dows with its golden petals, and enters so 

 frequently into the sports of infancy, is pre- 

 sented as a meet emblem of childishness. 



Locke says, " The actions of childishness, 

 and unfashionable carriage, time and age 

 will of itself be sure to reform." Let us 

 not therefore shorten the happy days of 

 butter-cups, or exclaim in the words of Gay, 



*' Let weeds, instead of butterflow'rs appear ; 

 And meads, instead of daisies, hemlock bear."^ 



