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popular names of Daffodil, Daffadowndilly, and Jonquil. The name 

 of " narcissus " it gets from being supposed to be the same as the 

 plant so named by Greeks first and Romans afterwards. It is a 

 question whether the plants are the same, and I believe most 

 authors think they are not, but I have never been able to see good 

 reasons for their doubts. The name jonquil comes corrupted 

 through the French, from juncifoUus, or " rush-leaved," and is 

 properly restricted to those species of the family which have rushy 

 leaves. Daffodil is commonly said to be a corruption of Asphodel, 

 with which plant it was confused ; but Lady Wilkinson says very 

 positively that " it is simply the old EngHsh word, ' affodyle,' which 

 signifies that which cometh early." " Daffadowndilly" again is 

 generally supposed to be but a playful conniption of daffodil, but 

 Dr. Prior argues (and he is a very rehable authority) that it is 

 rather a corruption of " saifron lily." I can but put these different 

 theories before you, with the one remark that you may, from such a 

 common instance, see something of the difficulty and uncertainty 

 that surround the history of our plant names. But we must not 

 dismiss the flower at once, with nothing but a dry account of its 

 name. It was the favourite flower of our ancestors as a garden 

 flower, and especiaUy as the flower for making garlands, a custom 

 very much more common than it is now. It was also the 

 favourite of all English poets, from Shakespeare to our own time. 

 Shakespeare seems to have had an especial affection for the flower. 

 Let me give you only two short instances. 



When daffodils begin to peer 



With heigh ! the doxy o'er the dale, 



Why then comes on the sweet of the year. 

 So sings Autolycus in the " Winter's Tale," while Perdita in the 

 same play most prettily offers us 



Daffodils 

 That come before the swallow dares, and take 

 The winds of March with beauty. 

 Coming to our own times we meet with Keats's beautiful lines — 



A thing of beauty is a joy for ever, 

 Its loveliness increases, it will never, 

 Pass into nothingness. 



