244 WILD FLOWERS. 



(bysedd cochiori), finger-tops (bysedd y cwri), crim- 

 son-leaves (ffion dail ), and crimson vigour, power, 

 or strength (ffion ffrwytli). In France, the sacred 

 character attributed to it takes a more modern 

 form in the name of gants de noire dame, or as it 

 was formerly written, " g 'antes nostre dame," and 

 doigts de la Vidrge. 



Of this grand and stately plant, which, not un- 

 frequently, attains to a height of seven or eight feet, 

 we have but one species; but we occasionally meet 

 with specimens which have white instead of purple 

 bells; and another variety has its purple of a cop- 

 pery or metallic hue, giving it a peculiar richness of 

 colouring ; the value of which may be appreciated 

 by comparing together, the plumage of the common 

 peacock, and that of the bronze-winged or Japan 

 peacock, when in proximity; the rich colour of the 

 last taking greatly from that which we otherwise 

 admire in the plumage of the common bird. 



In the countless lines of poetry, dedicated to the 

 striking beauty of the foxglove, poets have not failed 

 to introduce the characteristic manner in which the 

 blossoms, one by one fall off, apparently in their full 

 freshness and bloom, commencing at the lowermost, 

 and gradually mounting to the highest. Words- 

 worth, as usual, speculates, and applies metaphysics 

 to this appearance, until he produces an impression 

 of hortus siccus-like precision : 



" Thro' quaint obliquities I might pursue 

 These cravings ; when the foxglove, one by one, 

 Upwards, through every stage of the tall stem 

 Had shed beside the public way its bells, 



