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THE FLOWER OF SOUVENAKCK OH F0UGET-ME-:SOT.* 

 [The Subject of the follmcing Tale is taken from "MiWs History of Chivalry.--^ 



How Love, my Laura, has on all around 



Poured its bright influence ! Every thing that breathes 



Enjoys its sweets, or, absent, mourns its loss. 



Its seal is stamped on all that's beautiful ; 



And Love first taught the poet to compare 



His lady's beauty to whatever earth. 



Or sea, or sky contains of rich and rare. 



The summer's sun was not more truly bright 



When first it rose, rejoicing o'er the world ; 



And evening's gloom but shewed how Man must mourn, 



When Love has ceased to shine upon his fate ; 



The restless Ocean imaged forth the pains 



Which constant struggled in a lover's breast ; 



And fancy painted what yon heaven might be 



From the rich foretaste found in Woman s love. 



But Earth's bright flowerets formed the favourite wreath 



For Beauty's brow; and oft the lover's hand 



Hath twined her chaplets (Jf their sweet perfume. 



And blended graceful all their various hues 



In rich comparison and grateful praise ; 



Yet leaving oft the lily and the rose. 



And all the gaudier beauties of the spring. 



To find an emblem worthy woman's charms. 



In the sweet violet hidden in the shade. 



Blushing and blooming modesty alone ; _ 



And e'en, my Laura, such a flower as this. 



So lowly and so humble, has its tale. 



And bears a place in poetry and love : 



In days of old 'twas fancifully called 



" The Flower of Souvenance," and to latter times 



Retains the title of " Forget-me-not!" 



How it was gained, and wherefore 'twas applied. 



There runs a story of the olden time. 



Which I will try to tell you. 



A summer's day was closing — when, along 



The mossy margin of a silent lake. 



Two lovers roamed, o'er whose united hearts 



Love poured a warmer and a brighter beam 



Than at that moment lighted earth and sky . 



Yet felt they well, I ween, that joyous hour. 



And, as they gazed upon the sunny scene. 



They loved it as it seemed to be the type 



Of what should be their future happy fate. 



For all the doubts and fears that follow love 



O'er their bright prospect shed no darkemng shade j 



And the next morrow was to see them joined 



In holy bonds of lasting, wedded bliss. 



The lover was all ardour— fondly talked, 



* Tlie Myosotis Scorpiodis of botanists. 



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