282 AMABYLLIDACE.E. 



gathered this favourite spring flower growing wild in abundance \ 

 near Little Ouseburn, in Yorkshire, in many parts of Hereford- / 

 shire, and Edward describes it as half covering fields and groves J 

 in Kent. This surely was the manner in which those grew 

 whiclj. Wordsworth describes : 



" I wandered lonely as a cloud 



That floats on high o'er vales and hills, 

 '1/1 si LjL^il .When all at once I saw a crowd 



A host of golden Daffodils, 



Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 



Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 

 " The waves beside them danced, but they 



Outdid the sparkling waves in glee ; 



A poet could not but be gay 



In such a jocund company; 



I gazed, and gazed, but little thought 



What wealth to me the show had brought 

 " For oft when on my couch I lie, 



In vacant or in pensive mood, 



They flash upon that inward eye 



Which is the bliss of solitude ; 



And then my heart with pleasure fills, 



And dances with the Daffodils." 



Herrick, too, loved the Daffodils, and likened their early 

 fading to the shortness of human life : 



" Fair Daffodils, we weep to see 



You haste away so soon ; 

 As yet the early-rising sun 

 Has not attained his noon. 



Stay, stay, 

 Until the hastening day 



Has run \ 



But to the even-song; i 



And, having prayed together, we J 



Will go with you along. 

 ' * ' ' 



" We have short time to stay, like you ; 



We have as short a spring ; 

 As quick a growth to meet decay 

 As you, or anything. 



We die, 

 As your hours do, and dry 



Away, 



Like to the summer's rain, 

 Or as the pearls of morning dew, 

 Ne'er to be found again." 



