200 FLORA BOMESTICA. 



Their rustic couches form ; and there enjoy 

 Sleep, which, beneath his velvet canopy, 

 Luxurious idleness implores in vain." 



MRS. C. SMITH. 



The bees delight in heath-flowers : 



" Here their delicious task, the fervent bees,, 

 In swarming millions, tend -. around, athwart, 

 Through the soft air the busy nations fly, 

 Cling to the bud, and with inserted tube 

 Suck its pure essence, its ethereal soul ; 

 And oft, with bolder wing, they soaring dare 

 The purple heath, or where the wild thyme grows, 

 And yellow load them with the luscious spoil." 



THOMSON'S SPRING. 



Dr. Leyden alludes to the same circumstance : 



" The tiny heath-flowers now begin to blow; 

 The russet moor assumes a richer glow ; 

 The powdery bells, that glance in purple bloom, 

 Fling from their scented cups a sweet perfume ; 

 While from their cells, still moist with morning dew, 

 The wandering wild bee sips the honied glue : 

 In wider circle wakes the liquid hum, 

 And far remote the mingled murmurs come *." 



The Highland Heath-bed is pleasantly described in the 

 novel of Rob Roy : " While the unpleasant ideas arising 

 from this suggestion counteracted the good effects of ap- 

 petite, welcome, and good cheer, I remarked that Rob 

 Roy's attention had extended itself to providing us better 

 bedding than we had enjoyed the night before. Two of 

 the least fragile of the bedsteads, which stood by the wall 

 of the hut, had been stuffed with heath, then in full 

 flower, so artificially arranged that the flowers, being up- 

 permost, afforded a mattress at once elastic and fragrant. 

 Cloaks, and such bedding as could be collected, stretched 

 over this vegetable couch, made it both soft and warm." 

 ROB ROY, chap. 20. 



* Memoirs and Poetical Remains of the late Dr. J. Leyden, p. 323. 



