220 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



speaks of "the soft myrtle" in "Measure for 

 Measure" ; and he alludes "to the moon-dew on the 

 myrtle leaf," which is as delicate a suggestion of 

 the evening perfume as the "morning roses newly 

 washed with dew" is of the scents at dawn. 



"We nourish Myrtles with great care," says Par- 

 kinson, "for the beautiful aspect, sweet scent and 

 rarity, as delights and ornaments for a garden of 

 pleasure, wherein nothing should be wanting that 

 art, care and cost might produce and preserve. 



"The broad-leafed Myrtle riseth up to the height 

 of four or five foot at the most with us, full of 

 branches and leaves, growing like a small bush, the 

 stem and elder branches whereof are covered with 

 a dark colored bark, but the young with a green and 

 some with a red, especially upon the first shooting 

 forth, whereon are set many fresh green leaves very 

 sweet in smell and very pleasant to behold, so near 

 resembling the leaves of the Pomegranate tree that 

 groweth with us that they soon deceive many that 

 are not expert therein, being somewhat broad and 

 long and pointed at the ends, abiding always green. 

 At the joints of the branches, where the leaves stand, 

 come forth the flowers upon small footstalks, every 

 one by itself, consisting of five small white leaves, 



