PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA. 13 



comes to deliver her from her dangers, by chasing 

 away her foes, so does the summer, like another 

 Perseus, arrive, and, drying up the waters that 

 inundate the plant, chase away all her aquatic 

 enemies ; and then she carries her head (the cap- 

 sule), which before had drooped pensively, erect, 

 and displays her beauties to the sun." Pleased 

 with tl>3 idea, he chose for this flower which 

 formed a new genus in the botanical system he 

 was then arranging the name of Andromeda. 



Linnaeus visited England in the year 1736. No- 

 thing has been preserved of his observations 

 respecting the natural history of this country ; but 

 there is a tradition which has spread far and wide, 

 that when he for the first time beheld the bright 

 golden blossoms of the gorse or furze on the broad- 

 spreading commons near London, especially Put- 

 ney Heath, so great was his delight that he fell on 

 his knees in a rapture at the sight. He was always 

 an admirer of this plant, and vainly tried to pre- 

 serve it through a Swedish winter in his green- 

 house. Perhaps some of my readers may share 

 with me his preference for a flower whose sweet, 

 honey-like odour fills the air, imparting delight, 

 while its brilliant bloom entertains the eye, which 

 might otherwise perchance weary of the monotony 

 of those bleak and level places which are its chosen 

 habitat. 



