160 A SPRING-TIME POSY. 



to gardens that belong," but with blossoms plucked from his; 

 own meads and pastures. As most of those selected are fit 

 for a spring-time nosegay, we may well enrich our pages with 

 quaint old Drayton's enumeration of them : 



" The Primrose placing first, because that in the Spring 

 It is the first appears ; then only flourishing ; 

 The azured Harebell next with them they neatly mixt, 

 T' allay whose luscious smell they Woodbine placed betwixt. 

 Among those things of scent there prick they in the Lily, 

 And near to that again her sister Daffodilly. 

 To sort these flowers of show with others that were sweet, 

 The Cowslip there they couch, and the Oxlip for her meet ; 

 The Columbine amongst them they sparingly do set, 

 The yellow King-cup, wrought in many a curious fret ; * 

 And now and then among, of Eglantine a spray, 

 By which again a course of Lady-mocks they lay ; 

 The Crow-flower, and thereby the Clorra-flower they stick, 

 The Daisy ov.2r all those sundry sweets so thick, 

 As Nature doth herself to imitate her right ; 

 Who seems in that her ' pearl ' so greatly to delight, 

 That every plain therewith she powdereth to behold. 

 The crimson Darnel-flower, the Blue-bottle and gold, 

 Which, though esteemed but weeds, yet, for their dainty hues, 

 And for their scent, not ill, they for their purpose choose. 

 Thus, having told you how the Bridegroom Thames was drest, 

 I '11 show you how the Bride, fair Isis, they invest." 



Here the poet resorts to the garden for his decorative 

 wreath, but is careful, as we shall see, to eschew "florist's 

 flowers," and to select only our dear old favourites : 



" The red, the dainty white, the gaudy Damask Rose, 

 The brave Carnation, then, of sweet and sovereign power 

 (So of his colour called, although a July flower), 



* So we say, " fretted roof." 



