

THE CROCUS. 161 



duced to an extent incompatible with the due ob- 

 servance of all the religious duties enjoined at the 

 period. Camden, in speaking of Saffron Walden, 

 says that the fields under saffron cultivation " look 

 very pleasant ;" and "what is more to be admired, 

 that the ground which hath bore saffron three years 

 together, will bear barley very plentifully eighteen 

 years without dunging, and afterwards be fit eno' 

 for saffron :" a condition of things (if it be worthy 

 of credit), which will fully account for the preva- 

 lence of saffron cultivation in and before the time 

 when he wrote. 



The Roman Catholic " Flora " (published for the 

 enlightenment of ignorant converts), in mentioning 

 the particular flower to be laid at the shrine of every 

 saint, according to the season of the year, says that 



" The crocus blows before the shrine 

 At vernal dawn, of St. Valentine !" 



Hence it is often called by the rustic, " Flower of 

 St. Valentine/' or " Hymen's torch " a name pret- 

 tily appropriate to the flaming glow of the golden 

 yellow crocus, the brightest gem of the spring 

 time ; which, according to the Romans, was once a 

 youth, who pining to death for his love, was meta- 

 morphosed into a crocus. According to others, it 

 first sprang from some drops of magic liquor which 

 Medea prepared to restore the aged ^Eson to the 

 strength and vigour of youth. 



It is curious that the name of saffron (which has 

 also been transferred to the crocus-plant), is nearly 

 the same in all languages except in the case of the 

 German Zeitlose, and similar partial names and is 

 traceable to the Arabic Zahfaran, a name which 



