HEART'S-EASE. 195 



I '11 leave thee, and to pansies come ; 

 Comforts you'll afford me some : 

 You can ease my heart, and do 

 What love could ne'er be brought unto." 



If the poet means to play upon the word pansies also, he 

 was surely singularly fortunate, that when love frowned 

 upon him, his thoughts should give him so much comfort. 

 He tells us the origin of another of its najnes : 



" It was at the noon-tide hour 

 A lady reposed in a bower, 

 Where shaded between 

 The branches of green, 

 Blossomed and blushed a fair flower ; 

 Not a pinion was moved, nor a breeze was heard, 

 As with curious hand the lady stirred 

 The leaves of this unknown flower. 



She saw in its cradling bloom 

 A cherub with folding plume, 

 And a bow unstrung, 

 And arrows, were flung 

 O'er the cup of this opening flower : 

 And the lady fancied she much had need 

 Of the light of wakening eyes to read 

 The name of this unknown flower. 



She placed it too soon to her breast, 

 And the cherub was charmed from his rest ; 

 Then he winged a dart 

 At the lady's heart, 



From the leaves of this treacherous flower. 

 Ah, cruel child ! said the lady ; I guess, 

 Too late, that Love-in-Idleness 

 Is the name of this unknown flower." 



Spenser includes the Hearf s-ease among the flowers to 

 be strown before Queen Elizabeth : 



" Bring hither the pink and purple columbine, 



With gilliflovvers ; 

 Bring coronations and sops-in-wine, 

 Worn of paramours. 



