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Z\iZ ©Ingle Dell 



23 



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the spring's oncoming and how easy to sympathize with 

 Lancelot and the Queen as they rode over 



PN 



" Sheets of hyacinth, 

 That seemed the heavens unbreaking through the earth." 



-.. % Rome too vied with Greece in her love of these beautiful 

 flowers and as we loiter along from grove to pasture and 

 down a shady glen we can almost believe that old Virgil 

 walks with us step for step while with hurrying stylus he 

 notes upon the yielding wax a Hst of Flora's bounties scarce 

 changed today from that he wrote! so long ago when the 

 world was very young and the tale of< Romulus was new. 

 He shall sing our pastoral: 



"Take the presents which the nymphs prepare 



White lilies in full canisters they bring, 

 With all the glories of the purple spring. 



The daughters of the flood have searched the mead 

 For violets pale, and cropped the poppy's head, 



The short narcissus and fair daffodil, 

 Pansies to please the sight, and cassia sweet to smell; 



And set soft hyacinths with iron-blue 

 To shade marsh marigolds of shining hue; 



Some bound in order, others loosely strewed, 

 To dress thy bower and trim thy new abode." 



I wonder if listening to Virgil really makes us grasping, 

 really makes us feel that, having been already given so many 

 things, we might occasionally pine for one little thing extra. 



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