

UNIVE 







THE FLOWERS OF SPRING 27 



Never shall I forget one sunrise two thousand 

 feet among the Perthshire hills, in a haunt of the 

 marsh violet the soaking mosses, the deep black 

 pools which no summer heat could dry up ; nor the 

 plight I was in ; nor the comments passed when, 

 toward six in the morning, I appeared at my 

 lodging by the Ardle side. 



Blue in colour like the dog violet, it differs 

 mainly in the roundness of the leaf rounder even 

 than that of the sweet violet. 



A fancy sometimes helps one. I have never been 

 able to disassociate the violets, so strangely perfect 

 among the native wild flowers, from the tits, so 

 strangely perfect among the native wild birds. 

 Blue is the predominant colour in both ; the number 

 of species is the same ; and the moist stretches 

 which yield the marsh violet yield also the marsh 

 tit. 



Still in wet places, though not so old, nor wild, 

 nor far away, appear two other moisture lovers, 

 familiar to those who never heard of the marsh 

 violet, and chiefly to all readers of The May 

 Queen. 



By the meadow trenches blow the faint sweet cuckoo flowers, 

 And the wild marsh marigold shines like fire in swamps 

 and hollows grey. 



