GERANIUM. 169 



studded all the surface of the mountain ; the whole plant, 

 scarcely an inch in height, seemed to consist of little else than 

 the petals of its flowers, which in size and luxuriance were 

 out of all proportion to its diminutive leaves and branches*. 

 Mr. Shelley has a beautiful idea of pendant bell-shaped 

 flowers, as forming pavilions for the Glow-worm : this pas- 

 sage would have applied more properly to the Campanula, 

 but having there omitted it, we took the opportunity of in- 

 serting it here : 



" And the sinuous paths of lawn and of moss, 

 Which led through the gardens along and across, 

 Some open at once to the sun and the breeze, 

 Some lost among bowers of blossoming trees, 

 Were all paved with daisies and delicate bells 

 As fair as the fabulous asphodels, 

 And flowrets which, drooping as day drooped too, 

 Fell into pavilions, white, purple, and blue, 

 To roof the glow-worm from the evening dew." 



GERANIUM. 



GERANIUM, ERODIUM, AND PELARGONIUM. 



GERANIACE^L. MONODELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



The name, Geranium, is derived from the Greek language, and sig- 

 nifies a crane: the fruit having the form of a crane's bill and head. 

 The English name is Crane's-bill : but the plant is more generally 

 known by its botanical appellation. The Geranium is divided into 

 three genera: Erodium is the first, Pelargonium the second, and the 

 third retains the old name of Geranium, which, indeed, is still fa- 

 miliarly used for them all, as well as the English name Crane's bill. 

 Erodium is from the Greek, and signifies a heron, whose bill is similar 

 to that of the crane ; Pelargonium is from the same language, and 

 signifies a stork, whose bill is equally long. French, le geranion; la 

 geraine ; bee de grue ; bee de cicogne. Italian, geranio, becco di gru. 



THERE is no end to the varieties of Geranium, and as 

 new ones continually occur, there most probably never 

 will be an end to them. It were idle to attempt a general 



* Clarke's Travels, vol. iii. p. 685. 



