THE COMMON MARIGOLD. 



is a "sunflower," and, in common with the helianthus, 

 is said never to turn its face from that part of the heavens 

 where the sun is, whether seen or invisible. In the 

 "Winter's Tale/' Shakespeare speaks of "the marigold 

 that goes to bed with the sun and with him rises weep- 

 ing/' a state of things that necessitates the facing of the 

 flower to the northern regions of the heavens all through 

 the night. One of the most beautiful of the poetical 

 fancies, founded on the idea of a flower following the sun, 

 is the little poem by George Wither : 



" When, with a serious musing, I behold 

 The gratef ull and obsequious marigold, 

 How duely, ev'ry morning, she display es 

 Her open brest, when Titan spreads his rayes ; 

 How she observes him in his daily walke, 

 Still bending towards him her tender stalke ; 

 How when he downe declines, she droopes and moumes. 

 Bedew'd (as 't were) with teares, till he returnes ; 

 And how she vailes her flow'rs, when he is gone, 

 As if she scorned to be looked on 

 By an inferiour eye ; or, did contemne 

 To wayt upon a meaner light, then him. 

 When this I meditate, me-thinkes, the flowers 

 Have spirits, farre more generous, then ours; 

 And give us fair examples, to despise 

 The servile fawnings, and idolatries, 

 Wherewith we court these earthly things below, 

 Which merit not the service we bestow." 



Florists' marigolds are very delicate things. The Afri- 

 cans we will not speak of, because anybody can grow them, 

 and they are horribly coarse ; but the French are delicate 

 things, and worthy of all reasonable care to ensure fine 

 quality. And yet with these the chief matter is to get 

 good seed, for the qualities the severe judges of flowers 



