64 SHROVE TIDE? 



MARCH 4. St. CASiMiR,prince of Poland, a. d. 1482. 

 St. Lucius, pope and martyr, 253. 

 St. Adrian, bishop of St. Andrews, martyr. 



Obs. St. Casimir was born Oct. 5, 1458, and died on this day in 

 1482, and was the second son of Casimir, the third king of Poland. 



Chickweed Alsine media flowers. 



This well known weed is now in flower, and so continues all the 

 spring. Chickweed is gathered in vast quantities about London for 

 various song birds, who are kept in cages in town, and who are very 

 fond of it, as well as of Groundsel. 



The Grape Hyacinth Hyacinth botryoides is sometimes in flower 

 in early years, as in 1822 for example ; and Sweet Violets Violae 

 odoratae begin to scent the garden. Shakspeare compares an exqui- 

 sitely sweet strain of music to the delicious scent of this flower : 



Soft Strains of Music. 



If Music be the food of love, play on. 

 Give me excess of it ; that, surfeiting. 

 The appetite may sicken, and so die. 

 That strain again ; it had a dying fall : 

 Oh ! it came o'er my ear like the sweet South, 

 That breathes upon a bank of Violets, 

 Stealing, and giving odour ! 



There are several kinds of Violets, but the fragrant, both blue and 

 white, is the earliest, thence called the March Violet. To these 

 flowers Shakspeare adds the Daffodil : 



Which comes before the Swallow dares, and takes 

 The winds of March with beauty. 



Heyrick the sentimental author of the Hesperides has the follow- 

 ing verses : 



Sent to a Lady addicted to Fashionable Hours with a Violet. 



Did you but know, when bathed in dew, 

 How sweet the little Violet grew 



Amidst the thorny brake ; 

 How fragrant blew the ambient air. 

 O'er beds of Primroses so fair. 



Your pillow you'd forsake. 



Paler than the autumnal leaf. 

 O'er the wan hue of pining grief. 



The cheek of sloth shall grow ; 

 Nor can cosmetic wash or ball 

 Nature's own favourite tints recall. 



If once you let them go. 



