PRIVET. 847 



That I should see the melancholy hour 

 So soon arrive that was to end my bliss, 

 And of my love destroy both fruit and flower ?" 



WIFFEN'S GARCILASSO, p. 191. 



PRIVET. 



LTGUSTRUM. 



OLEINEJE. DIANDBIA MONOGYNJA. 



In England it was formerly called Prim-print; Prime- print; or 

 Prim. French, troene ; fresillon ; puine blanc [white young-one].- 

 Italian, ligustro ; rovistico ; ruistico ; olivella : in Venice, conestrela : 

 in the Brescian, cambrosen ; cambrosel. 



THE Privet shrub deserves a place among the most ele- 

 gant : the leaves are handsome, and the old ones remain 

 on till driven off by new : it bears an abundance of white 

 pyramidal blossoms, which blow in July, and are succeeded 

 by bunches of black berries. It is hardy, and will' give 

 little trouble. It must be watered occasionally in dry 

 weather, and must be removed into a roomier lodging, when 

 it has, like the giant in the Castle of Otranto, outgrown its 

 old one. 



This elegant tree has been rendered classical by the pen 

 of Virgil; 



ft Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia nigra leguntur." 



VIRGIL, Pastoral 2. 



" White privets fall neglected, the purple hyacinths are gathered." 

 DAVIDSON'S TRANSLATION. 



There has been great question among the learned con- 

 cerning this passage : some persons suppose VirgiPs meaning 

 to have been, that the white blossoms dt the Privet, raotwith- 

 standing their beauty, were allowed to fall from the tree, 

 whereas the berries, though black, were gathered, because 

 they were useful. These berries were used to make ink ; 



