ON THE PRIMULAS 297 



Shakespeare referred to it again and again 



" In the wood where often you and I 

 Upon faint Primrose beds were wont to lie." 



Midsummer Nights Dream. 



" Pale Primroses 



That die unmarried ere they can behold 

 Bright Phoe.bus in his strength." 



Winter's Tale. 



" Thou shall not lack 

 The flower that's like thy face, pale Primrose." 



Cymbeline. 



It is clear from these and other references that the 

 pale colour of the flower had impressed itself on 

 Shakespeare's mind as the distinguishing feature of the 

 Primrose. Perhaps this gave a cue to Milton, for its 

 pallor seems to have influenced him also. He speaks 

 of the 



" Rathe Primrose that forsaken dies," 

 and the 



" Soft silken Primrose fading timelesslie.' 



The light colour and the alliteration combined seem 

 to have been too strong for both poets, and "pale 

 primrose" crops up in their writings with a frequency 

 that becomes a little wearisome. 



Withal the Primrose is a cheerful flower. Country 

 children, and townsfolk of all ages, love to gather great 

 bunches of it from the banks and woodland glades in 

 spring. It enjoys coolness and shade, like the Violet, 

 and this should be borne in mind by gardeners. It is 

 essential that a warm, dry position should be chosen for 

 the flowering, as that takes place in spring, but it is 

 not advisable for the propagation which follows the 

 blooming. Divided plants do better when planted in 



