60 Transactions. 
children “ wild snowdrops,” is referred to in “‘ Venus and Adonis” 
as Springing up from the blood of the latter. 
‘A purple flower sprung up, chequered with white.” 
Again it is made to spring from the tears of Venus. 
«* And where a tear has dropped a wind-flower blows.” 
Columbine.—Ophelia says to Hamlet— 
“« There’s fennel for you and columbines.” 
The columbine signified ingratitude. When Ophelia became 
crazed she had garlands. 
“* There with fantastic garlands did she come 
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples.” 
The crow-flower in those days was “ ragged robin.” 
‘* When daisies pied and violets blue, 
And lady-smocks all silver white, 
And Cuckoo-buds of yellow hue 
Do paint the meadows with delight.” 
Love’s Labour’s Lost, V., 2. 
Commentators are uncertain concerning these cuckoo-buds, 
but it is referred to one of our yellow ranunculuses. 
King Lear was met (IV., 4) 
«* As mad as the vexed sea, singing aloud ; 
Crowned with rank fumiter and furrow weeds, 
With burdocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers, 
Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow 
In our sustaining corn.” 
Cuckoo-flowers are said to be like crow-flowers, a name for our 
“ragged robin.” Darnel does not grow in our county, but the 
others named can be easily recognised. 
Elder, that is our “ Boor-tree.” According to superstition, 
Judas was hanged on an elder. Shakespeare makes it an emblem 
of grief. 
Cymb. IV., 2. 
‘* Grow patience ! 
And let the stinking elder, grief, untwine 
His perishing root with the increasing vine.” 
Fern.—It was a curious notion that fern seed was supposed to 
have the power of rendering persons invisible. 
I. Henry IV. (I1.; 1). 
*< We have the receipt of fern seed, we walk invisible.” 
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