FLORAL CEREMONIES. 127 



A glut of people, you would think some god 

 ' llad conquered in their cause, and them thus ranked, 

 That he might make his entrance on their heads ! 

 While from the scaffolds, windows, tops of he 

 Are cast such gaudy showers of garlands down, 

 That e'en the cruwd appear like conquerors, 

 And the whole city seems like one vast meadow 

 Set all with flowers, as a clear heaven with star?." 



XATHANIEL LEE. 



Here is another by a more modern hand : 



" Throughout the city joyful shouts resound, 

 The gates are garlanded, the columns bound - 

 With victor laurels, while from lovely hands 

 Sweet flowers are showered upon the martial bands 

 As in glad pomp the proud processions march 

 Through many a fair arcade and trophied arch." 



AGXES STRICKLAND. 



And yet one more ; it is by T. B. Macauley ; 

 we are still at the " Seven-hilled city " in the 

 time of her pristine vigour, ere she had become 

 luxurious and effeminate; hark at the lo 

 Triitmphe which swells upon the gale ! Hark 

 to the shouts of the multitude, and the pealing 

 of the silver-throated trumpets! It is the feast 

 of the twin brothers, Castor and Pollux, who 

 won for Rome the battle of the Lake Regillus : 



