The Violet 



at a glance, before the flowers are come, 

 by their larger size, rounder heart-shape, 

 downiness, and, above all, by that fresher 

 green upon which, in February and 

 March, we always look so hopefully, 

 remembering the treasures which per- 

 haps lie hidden there. There is nothing 

 at all of such promise in the darker 

 purplish-tinted leaves of the Dog Violet, 

 though they have a smoother, neater, 

 more regular and finished look. Then, 

 as to the flowers, no matter whether 

 white or purple, there is generally a rich- 

 ness and force in the colour of the 

 Scented Violet which impresses us deeply 

 the moment we detect it in the hedge 

 a richness which seems almost worthy of 

 such fragrance, the one translating the 

 other, as it were, into a different lan- 

 guage. How unlike the Dog Violet, 

 with its larger and gayer, but less im- 

 pressive, lilac flowers ! And yet this 

 latter seems to have managed everything 

 according to the most approved fashion. 

 It has lessened its leaves, made its blos- 

 soms more conspicuous in colour, and 

 greatly increased their size and number. 

 The leaves, too, are neater and more cor- 

 rect, freed from hairiness and irregulari- 

 ties ; and the whole plant has a smoother 

 39 



