IX 



The Poet's Narcissus 



EVERYBODY knows the Poet's 

 Narcissus, which is sold so exten- 

 sively in the London streets in May, 

 and which is, I believe, especially 

 cultivated for the purpose. Take a few 

 fully - expanded blossoms, for those too 

 young will only disappoint you, and look 

 at them from a little distance, in such a 

 position that the reflected may be helped 

 by a little transmitted light. First, then, 

 what a purity and softness in the colour ! 

 Not a veiny white as you are now looking 

 at it, but cool and snowy, and as soft as 

 milk, dimpled everywhere into gradations 

 by the exquisite curvature of the petals. 

 These are large and bend back, to give 

 round expanse to the whiteness, so that 

 the effect of it may be fully felt. The 

 flower is fixed upon a long stout tube, 

 cylindrical and green. And mark how it 

 spreads from the end of this as from a 

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