FLORA DOMESTICA. 



It is not, indeed, supposed to be the Hyacinth of the 

 ancient poets ; but a flower which has been celebrated by 

 Milton and Shakspeare possesses a just claim to the epithet 

 poetical. They have stamped immortality on the Hyacinth 

 of modern times. 



" With fairest flowers, 



Whilst summer lasts, and I live here, Fidele, 

 I '11 sweeten thy sad grave : thou shalt not lack 

 The flower that's like thy face, pale primrose, nor 

 The azured harebell, like thy veins ; no, nor 

 The leaf of eglantine, whom not to slander, 

 Outsweeten'd not thy breath." 



The true poetical Hyacinth of the ancients is supposed to 

 be the Red Martagon Lily. Mr. Martyn observes that 

 most of the Martagons are marked with many spots of a 

 darker colour than the flower itself; which often so run to- 

 gether as to form the letters Ai as the ancient Hyacinth is 

 represented. 



Our modern Hyacinth has celebrity enough to stand 

 upon its own ground, and, though it bears the same name, 

 needs not to usurp the birth-right of its elder brother, of 

 whose origin we are told : 



Apollo with unweeting hand, 



Whilome did slay his dearly loved mate, 

 Young Hyacinth, the pride of Spartan land ; 

 But then transformed him to a purple flower.'' 



It is always of the purple Hyacinth the poets speak : 

 the modern purple is a deep blue ; the Roman purple 

 more resembled a light crimson. The flower which we 

 now call the Hyacinth is often of a blue-purple colour, 

 but is very seldom seen at all approaching to a Roman 

 purple. A flower fabled to have sprung from blood, we 

 may naturally suppose to have been of a somewhat similar 

 colour. 



