FLORAL CEREMONIES. 115 



It is thus that an English poetess apostrophizes 

 the Goddess Flora, who, according to classical 

 authority, was " married to Zephyrus, and re- 

 ceived from him the. privilege of presiding over 

 flowers and enjoying perpetual youth." She 

 was represented by Ovid and others as crowned 

 with flowers, and holding in her hand the horn 

 of plenty ; perhaps we can find her portrait 

 among our collection of poetic heauties. Ah ! 

 here it is ! 



( The vision comes ! while slowly melt away 

 Night's hovering shades before the eastern ray, 

 Ere yet declines the morning's humid star, 

 Fair Fancy brings her ; in her leafy car 

 Flora descends to dress the expecting earth, 

 Awake the germs, and call the buds to birth ; 

 Bids each hybernacle its cell unfold, 

 And open silken leaves and eyes of gold. 

 Of forest foliage, of the firmest shade, 

 Enwove by magic hands, the car was made ; 

 Oak and the maple plane without entwined, 

 And beech and ash the verdant concave lined 

 The saxifrage, that snowy flowers emboss, 

 Supplied the seat ; and of the mural moss 

 The velvet footstool rose, where lightly rest 

 Her slender feet in cyprepedium dressed 



