DAISY. 121 



almost all the year; closing in the evening and in wet 

 weather, and opening on the return of the sun : 



" The little dazie, that at evening closes." 



Spenser. 



" By a daisy, whose leaves spread 

 Shut when Titan goes to bed." 



G. Withers. 



No flower has been more frequently celebrated by our 

 poets, our best poets ; Chaucer, in particular, expatiates at 

 great length upon it. He tells us that the Queen Alceste, 

 who sacrificed her own life to save that of her husband 

 Admetus, and who was afterwards restored to the world 

 by Hercules, was, for her great goodness, changed into a 

 Daisy. He is never weary of praising this little flower : 



" Whan that the month of May 



Is comen, and that I heare the foules sing. 

 And that the floures ginnen for to spring. 

 Farewell my booke, and my devocion. 

 Now have I than eke this condicion. 

 That of all the floures in the mede. 

 Than love I most these floures white and rede. 

 Such that men callen daisies in our town : 

 To them I have so great afFectioun, 

 As I sayd erst, whan comen in the Male, 

 That in my bedde there daweth me no daie. 

 That I nam up, and walking in the mede 

 To seen this floure ayenst the sunne sprede. 

 Whan it upriseth early by the morrow. 

 That blissful sight softeneth my sorow. 

 So glad am I, when that I have presence 

 Of it, to done it all reverence. 

 As she that is of all floures the floure. 

 Fulfilled of all vertue and honoure. 

 And every ilike faire, and fresh of hewe. 

 And ever I love it, and ever ilike newe. 

 And ever shall, until mine herte die. 

 All sweare I not, of this I woU not lie. 

 There loved no wight nothen in this life. 

 And whan that it is eve I renne blithe. 



