THE VIOLET. 205 



first view it bears some resemblance to the pansy 

 (F. tricolor), though, in reality, quite distinct 

 from it. 



This last is the "hearts-ease," the "herb-trinity/' 

 the " love-in-idleness " the plant with many other 

 pleasant names. Who does not know how Cupid, 

 " in idleness," shot his shaft at the fair queen of the 

 " throned west/' who passed on 



" In maiden meditation, fancy free ?" 

 and how the winged arrow 



"Fell upon a little western flower, 

 Before milk-white ; now purple with love's wound, 

 And maidens call it love-in-idleness ? " 



And who knows not, upon the same authority, 

 that 



" The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid, 

 Will make a man, or woman madly dote, 

 Upon the next live creature that it sees ?" 



It is the stief mutter cken (little stepmother) of the 

 Germans, the origin of which seems quite inexplicable. 



Besides the sweet violet the stemless sub-division 

 includes the hairy violet (V. hlrta}, which grows 

 in such well-marked distinctness on calcareous soils 

 only ; and the pretty little marsh violet ( V. palus- 

 tris), with its delicately-streaked and roundish blos- 

 soms, and its fine glossy leaves. The latter grows in 

 the damp parts of the hilly regions of Scotland and 

 Wales, mingling prettily with its companion flower, 

 the bog pimpernel. 



