230 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE ROSE IN LITERATURE. 



"The lily is all in white like a saint, 



And so is no mate for me; 

 But I will plight with the dainty rose, 



For fairest of all is she." 



In response to this toast Miss Emma V. White of Minneapolis, 

 read the following' paper: 



It is but natural that a flower which all so love and admire should 

 have been early singled out by the poet to be the theme of his im- 

 mortal song, or by the painter to be portrayed upon the not much 

 less lasting canvas. And so we find all literature replete with re- 

 ferences to this fair flower, the rose, for which our hostess has so 

 appropriately named her beautifvil home and which we see in such 

 profusion around us on this perfect June day. Surely Lowell must 

 have had in mind one of the same days, which onl}' Minnesota can 

 give — like today — when he said: 



"What is so rare as a day in June! 



Then, if ever, come perfect days. 

 Then heaven tries the earth if it be in tuue, 



And over it softly her warm ear lays." 



And so we are gathered here in 



'•This month of June. 

 The month of leaves and roses, 

 When pleasant sights salute the eyes, 

 And pleasant smells the noses." 



In recalling what has been written or said of the rose, we find it is 

 not man's creation — the gorgeous Jacqueminot, or the less gaudy 

 Marchal Neil, or the blushing La Belle France, or yet the newest 

 origination of the florist — the Wymau Elliot — 'tis not these of 

 which the poet sings, or that the artist delights to portray; but it 

 is, rather, the rose of God's creation — the unassuming wild rose, that 

 lifts its modest head in solitude or smiles out upon us from the 

 dusty highway. This it is that has been the inspiration of many a 

 beautiful poem. 



And yet, no poet has selected the rose as the theme of his song, 

 immortalizing it in such tender loving verses as did Robert 

 Burns the daisy in his beautiful poem, "To a Mountain Daisy." The 

 inore quiet appearing flowers, the violet, the lily, the daffodil and the 

 daisy seem to be the poets' favorite themes; yet they love the rose, 

 and more often refer to it, either to its own beauty or making figur- 

 ative use of it, than to any other flower. Particularly is it used as a 

 symbol of maidenhood, or by lovers iti their courtship. A few quo- 

 tations may be not uninteresting. 

 Burns says: 



"Oh, my love's like a red. red rose. 

 That's newly sprung in June." 



Waller sends a rose to his lady, saj^ing: 



"Go, lovely rose! 



Tell her that wastes her time and me. 

 That now slie knows. 

 When I I'esemble her to thee, 

 How sweet and fair she seems to be!" 



