122 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



us, "Bellides and in English Daisies. Some of them 

 Herb a Margarita and Primula veris, as is likely 

 after the Italian names of Marguerita and Flor di 

 prima vera gentile. The French call them 

 Paquerettes and Marguerites; and the fruitful sort, 

 or those that have small flowers about the middle 

 one, Margueritons. Our English women call them 

 Jack-an-Apes-on-Horseback." 



The daisy that an Elizabethan poet quaintly de- 

 scribes as a Tudor princess resembles the midsum- 

 mer daisy rather than the "wee, modest, crimson- 

 tipped flower" of Burns: 



About her neck she wears a rich wrought ruff 

 With double sets most brave and broad bespread 

 Resembling lovely lawn, or cambric stuff 

 Pinned up and prickt upon her yellow head. 



Also Browne in his "Pastorals" seems to be thinking 

 of this flower : 



The Daisy scattered on each mead and down, 

 A golden tuft within a silver crown. 



VIOLET (Viola odorata). The violet was con- 

 sidered "a choice flower of delight" in English gar- 

 dens. Shakespeare speaks of the violet on many 

 occasions and always with tenderness and deep ap- 

 preciation of its qualities. Violets are among the 



