332 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



very near to a wall, which would tend to draw them up 

 weakly. 



The Carnations, Maiden-pinks, &c. have been celebrated 

 both for their beauty and fragrance ; in the latter they are 

 equalled by few plants, exceeded perhaps by none. As the 

 rose for her beauty, the nightingale for his song, so is the 

 pink noted for its sweetness. 



" And the pink, of smell divinest," 



is seldom or never forgotten when the poets would celebrate 

 the charms of Flora : 



( ' The brave carnation then, with sweet and sovereign power, 

 (So of his colour called, although a July-flower), 

 With th' other of his kind, the speckled and the pale ; 

 Then th' odoriferous pink, that sends forth such a gale 

 Of sweetness : yet in scents is various as in sorts, 

 The purple violet then the pansie there supports ; 

 The marygold above t' adorn the arched bar : 

 The doubled daisy thrift, the button bachelor, 

 Sweet- William, sops in wine, the campion, and to these, 

 Some lavender they put, with rosemary and bays." 



Spenser's works are continually sprinkled with them: 

 both Milton and Shakespeare have done them honour : 



" PER. Sir, the year growing ancient, 

 Not yet on summer's death, nor on the birth 

 Of trembling winter, the fairest flowers o' the season 

 Are our carnations, and streaked gillyflowers, 

 Which some call nature's bastards : of that kind 

 Our rustic garden's barren ; and I care not 

 To get slips of them. 



POL. Wherefore, gentle maiden, 



Do you neglect them ? 



PER. For I have heard it said, 



There is an art, which, in their piedness, shares 

 With great creating nature. 



POL. Say there be, 



Yet nature is made better by no mean, 

 But nature makes that mean." 



WINTER'S TALE, Act 4, Scene 3. 



