FLORAL CEREMONIES. 117 



Bending beneath the tears of pearly dawn, 

 The snow-white lily glitters o'er the lawn ; 

 Lo ! from the hough reclines the damask rose, 

 And o'er the lily's milk-white bosom glows ; 

 Fresh in the dew, far o'er the painted dales, 

 Each fragrant herb her sweetest scent exhales." 



CAMOENS. 



We must not now pause to describe how 



" POMONA, fired with rival envy, views 



The glaring pride of FLORA'S darling hues," 



And endeavors to outvie their beauty and fra- 

 grance with her own luscious productions, but 

 turn to the author of the Task." Listen to 

 him ! Oh, lady readers ! 



" The spleen is seldom felt where FLORA reigns, 

 The lowering eye, the petulance, the frown, 

 And sullen .sadness that o'ershade, distort, 

 And mar the face of beauty, when no cause 

 For such immeasurable woe appears : 

 These FLORA banishes, and gives the fair 

 Sweet smiles, and bloom less transient than her own." 



COWPER. 



From the Roman Antiquities we learn, that 

 " Among the Latins, a bride on her wedding- 



