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was the simple result of truthful observation, and the use of his knowledge is 

 equally natural and unaffected. He has, nevertheless, actually named upwards 

 of 160 different flowers, plants, and trees, to illustrate his writings. His very 

 omissions prove the casual manner in which he gained his knowledge : in the 

 spring flowers, he does not name the three earliest flowers of spring— the graceful 

 snowdrop, the brilliant crocus, and the golden winter aconite. He begins the year 

 with March. Autolycus says — 



" When the Daffodils begin to peer, — 

 With heigh ! the doxy over the dale, — 

 Why, then comes in the sweet o' the year, 

 For the red blood reigns in the winter's pale." 



IVinier's Taie, Act IV., Sc. 2. 



and again — 



"Daffodils 

 That come before the swallow dares and take 

 The winds of March with beauty ; violets dim 

 But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes, 

 Or Cytherea's breath ; pale primroses 

 That die unmarried, ere they can behold 

 Bright Phoebus in his strength, a malady 

 Most incident to maids ; bold oxlips and 

 The Crown Imperial ; lilies of all kinds, 

 The flower-de-luce being one." 



Winter's Tale, Act. IV., Sc. 3. 



Here is a sweet country picture that everyone is so familiar with — 



" I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows, 

 Where ox-lips and the nodding violet grows ; 

 Quite over-canopied with lush woodbine, 

 With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine." 



Midsummer Night's Dream. 



In another spring description of flowers, Shakespeare says — 



" When daisies pied, and violets blue, 

 And l.idy-smock, all silver white, 

 And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue, 

 Do paint the meadows with delight." 



Love's Labour Lost, Act. V., Sc. 2. 



The distant sound of a well-remembered tune caUs forth this charming com- 

 parison — 



" That strain again. It had a dying fall ; 

 O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south 

 That breathes upon a bank of violets, 

 Stealing and giving odour." 



Twelfth Night, Act I., Sc. i. 



Who but Shakespeare would have put the epithet "nodding" to violets, and 

 " freckled " to cowslips ? — 



" The cowslips tall her pensioners be; 

 In their gold coats spots you see; 

 Those be rubies, fairy favours, 

 In those freckles live their savours." 



Mldsutnmer Night' s Dream, Act II., Sc. i. 



Here are moral lessons from spriner vegetation — 



" Now 'tis the spring, and weeds are shallow rooted. 

 Suffer them now, and they'll o'ergrow the garden. 

 And choke the herbs for want of husbandry." 



King Henry IV., Act III., Sc. i. 



