136 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



that this view is very generally accepted, that these 

 are the same lilies of the field that 'toil not neither 

 do they spin,' which Our Lord used to illustrate His 

 immortal lesson. Truly Solomon in all his glory 

 was not arrayed like one of these." 



The Adonis flower (Flos Adonis} spoken of by 

 Ben Jonson and others has nothing to do with the 

 anemone. It is a kind of camomile. "Some have 

 taken the red kind to be a kind of Anemone," says 

 Parkinson. "The most usual name now with us is 

 Flos Adonis. In English it is also called the May- 

 weed and Rosarubie and Adonis Flower." 



HAREBELL (Scilla nutans)> The "azured 

 harebell," which Shakespeare uses in "Cymbeline" 

 for comparison with the delicate veins of Fidele 

 (Imogen), has been identified as the English jacinth, 

 blue harebell, or hare's-bell. Browne's "Pastorals" 

 show that this flower was only worn by faithful 

 lovers; and, therefore, the flower is most appro- 

 priately selected for association with Imogen. 

 Browne says: 



The Harebell, for her stainless, azured hue 

 Claims to be worn of none but who are true. 



This flower is also called the "wild hyacinth." Blos- 

 soming in May and June, it is one of the precious 



s See p. 207. 



