.HELIOTROPE. 175 



The Canary Heliotrope (to which the gardeners, it is 

 not known for what reason, have given the name of Ma- 

 dame de Maintenon) is not so tender*: it must be shel- 

 tered from frost, but should have plenty of fresh air in 

 mild weather. Cuttings from this species, planted in 

 summer, placed in the shade, and regularly watered, will 

 take root in five or six weeks in the open air. 



The Trailing Heliotrope, from the Cape of Good Hope, 

 and the European, are hardy annual plants, which may 

 be sown in September or October, kept in the open air, 

 watered as the others, and will flower in July and August. 



The Heliotrope is said to owe its existence to the death 

 of Clytie, who pined away in hopeless love of the god 

 Apollo : 



" She with distracted passion pines away, 

 Detesteth company ; all night, all day. 

 Disrobed, with her ruffled hair unbound. 

 And wet with humour, sits upon the ground : 

 For nine long days all sustenance forbears ; 

 Her hunger cloy'd with dew, her thirst with tears : 

 Nor rose ; but rivets on the god her eyes. 

 And ever turns her face to him that flies. 

 At length, to earth her stupid body cleaves : 

 Her wan complexion turns to bloodless leaves. 

 Yet streak'd with red : her perish'd limbs beget 

 A flower, resembling the pale violet ; 

 Which with the sun, though rooted fast, doth move ; 

 And being changed, changeth not her love." 



Sandys's Ovid, Fourth Book. 



* If the name, " Madame de Maintenon," is of French origin, it 

 was perhaps a piece of flattery to Louis the Fourteenth, as the sun to 

 which his favourite lady always turned her eyes. 



