378 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



From beds of hyacinths, or from jasmine flowers. 

 Or when the blue-eyed violet weeps upon 

 Some sloping bank remote, while the young sun 

 (Creeping within her sheltering bower of leaves) 

 Dries up her tears." 



Barry Cornwall. 



The Violet seems a favourite with this author : he in- 

 troduces it continually. In his last poem, the Flood of 

 Thessaly, he mentions it several times : 



'' And violets, whose looks are like the skies." 



'' Jasmine and musk, daisies and hyacinth'. 

 And violets, a blue profusion, sprang 

 Haunting the air." 



The Violet is continually applauded for its modesty and 

 timidity : 



' steals timidly away. 



Shrinking as violets do in summer's ray." 



Lalla Rookh. 



Mr. Keats delights in describing a little woodland nook, 

 and Violets constantly breathe their sweet perfume in it. 

 — (See Hawthorn.) 



-'■' where to pry aloof. 



Atween the pillars of the sylvan roof. 



Would be to find where violet beds were nestling. 



And where the bee with cowslip-bells was wrestling. 



Gay villagers, upon a morn of May, 

 \yhen they have tired their gentle limbs with play. 

 And formed a snowy circle on the grass. 

 And placed in midst of all that lovely lass 

 Who chosen is their queen ; — with her fine head 

 Crowned with flowers, purple, white, and red ; 

 For there the lily and the musk-rose sighing, 

 Are emblems true of hapless lovers dying : 

 Between her breasts, that never yet felt trouble, 

 A bunch of violets, full-blown, and double. 

 Serenely sleep." 



