FLORA S LEXICOK, 



VEN1NG PRIMROB11 (Enoth-ra. Class 

 8, GOTAKDIM..;. Gr4r : MONOQYKIA. I 1 , is 

 uncertain v/hcn this beautiful flower was 

 first introduced into England, though we 

 know that it was brought from Virginia to 

 Padua, in the year 1619. It is a geneia! 

 favourite with our poets, who giro it a vf-ry 

 different character to that we have assigned to it in 3onL 'an 

 guage. We presume that it has been mad^ tho crabio^i cf r n- 1 

 constancy on account of the transient duration of it? *v?v>>::, It 

 opens between six and seven o'clock in the evening. 



INCONSTANCY 



When once the sun sinks in the west, 



And dew-drops pearl the Evenii-^a L-^sast; 



Almost as pale as moon-beams are, 



Or its companionable star, 



The evening primrose opes anew 



Its delicate blossoms to the dew ; 



And, hermit-like, shunning the light, 



Wastes its fair bloom upon the Night, 



Who, blindfold to its fond caresses, 



Knows not the beauty he possesses. 



Thus it blooms on v/hile Night it. by ; 



When Day looks out with open eye, 



'Bach'd at the gaze it cannot shun, 



It faints, and withers, and is gone. 



CLARE. 



How long must women wish in vain 



A constant love to find ? 

 No art can fickle man retain, 



Or fix a roving mind. 

 Yet fondly we ourselves deceive, 



And empty hopes pursue ; 

 Though false to others, we believe 



They will to us prove true. 



SHADWELL. 



