178 IN A GLOUCESTERSHIRE GARDEN 



the foreground, and which is well known to collectors 

 of mezzotints as forming one of the fine engravings by 

 Earlom in 1778 from the Houghton pictures. 



But I leave these few doubles to speak of some of 

 the wild species of roses Avhich, though little grown 

 except in botanical collections, are full of beauty and 

 interest. There are about fifty species of the genus 

 Bosa, found in all quarters of the world, but only in 

 the north temperate zone. Plenty of roses are grown 

 in Australia, New Zealand, and the Cape, but they 

 have been introduced by colonists. Of course I can- 

 not speak of all these fifty species, I can but select a 

 few. In Great Britain there are (according to Sir J. 

 Hooker) seven good species with many varieties, of 

 which at least two are garden favourites. One is the 

 Burnet rose, a very pretty little rose as found on our 

 seashores, and the parent of all our Scotch roses ; and 

 the other is the sweet-brier. This is certainly the 

 eglantine of Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, and all 

 the old writers, and though not common as a wild 

 plant, it can be found in many parts of England, 

 especially in the chalk districts. It has perhaps the 

 most delicate perfume of all roses, and of all British 

 plants, and it has the faculty, especially after rain, 

 which all sweet-scented flowers have not, of giving 

 out its scent without being picked or handled. It is 



