110 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



Italy, eliantemo [sun flower] ; for del sole [sun flower]. 

 The flowers are usually a deep yellow, or pale lemon colour ; 

 but they are sometimes seen white, and rose-coloured. 

 All these varieties, placed together, have an agreeable 

 effect. This species will live in the open air, all the year 

 round. 



Scott of Amwell, speaking of the vexations to which the 

 possessor of a garden is liable, says : 



" For me, my groves not oft my steps invite, 

 And far less oft they fail to offend my sight ; 

 In vain the senna waves its glossy gold, 

 In vain the cistus' spotted flowers unfold, 

 In vain the acacia's snowy bloom depends, 

 In vain the sumach's scarlet spike ascends, 

 In vain the woodbine's spicy tufts disclose, 

 And green slopes redden with the shedding rose ; 

 These neat shorn hawthorn's useless verdant bound, 

 This long straight walk, that pool's unmeaning round, 

 These short-curved paths that twist between the trees, 

 Disgust the eye, and make the whole displease." 



This is written in a spirit of discontent, not common with 

 poets on such a subject. 



Southey speaks of the Cistus as furnishing fuel, in 

 Spain: 



" there at eve 



Entering an inn, he took his humble seat 



With other travellers round the crackling hearth, 



Where heath and cistus gave their fragrant heat." 



RODERICK, part 5. 



the cistus gives her dyes, 



And opes her silken petals to the sight ; 

 Around the capsule glow her spotted eyes, 

 With scarlet lustre rich, and deeply bright *.' 



* From Time's Telescope for 1820, p. 114. 



