AN ESSEX GARDEN R.SOUTHEY 



cause flowers to her were "redolent of youth," Scents as 

 and never failed to awaken tender recollections; ^fg a fe s 

 Betsey for an opposite reason: having been born of Arabia 

 and bred in I .ondon, a nosegay there had seem- 

 ed always to bring her a foretaste of those en- 

 joyments for which she was looking forward 

 with eager hope. They had stocked their front- 

 garden therefore with the gayest and the sweet- 

 est flowers that were cultivated in those days ; 

 larkspurs, both of the giant and dwarf species, 

 and of all colours; sweet-williams of the richest 

 hues; monk's-hood for its stately growth; Bet- 

 sey called it the dumbledore's delight, and was 

 not aware that the plant, in whose helmet, rather 

 than cowl-shaped flowers that busy and best- 

 natured of all insects appears to revel more than 

 in any other, is the deadly aconite of which she 

 read in poetry : the white lily, and the fleur-de- 

 lis; peonies, which are still the glory of the 

 English garden: stocks and gillyflowers which 

 make the air sweet as the gales of Arabia ; wall- 

 flowers, which for a while are little less fragrant, 

 and not less beautiful; pinks and carnations 

 added their spicy odours; roses red and white 

 peeped at the lower casements, and the jessa- 

 mine climbed to those of the chambers above. 



