ROSE-BUSH. 363 



The White Rose is a native of China and most parts of 

 Europe : it grows to a height of nine or ten feet, is very 

 full of blossom, and extremely beautiful, but has little or no 

 smell. 



Roses in general delight in an open free air, and will 

 bear the cold well ; but, when in pots, it is better to place 

 them in-doors during the winter, particularly such as flower 

 at that season. The earth should be always kept mo- 

 derately moist. 



The Rose is pre-eminently the Flower of Love and 

 Poetry, the very perfection of floral realities. Imagination 

 may have flattered herself that her power could form a 

 more perfect beauty ; but, it is said, she never yet dis- 

 covered such to mortal eyes. This, however, she would 

 persuade us to be a mere matter of delicacy, and that she 

 had the authority of Apollo for her secret success : 



" no mortal eye can reach the flowers, 



And 'tis right just, for well Apollo knows, 

 'Twould make the poet quarrel with the rose." 



It is however determined, that until the claim of such veiled 

 beauty, or beauties, shall rest upon 'better foundation, the 

 Rose shall still be considered as the unrivalled Queen of 

 Flowers. 



<s 1 saw the sweetest flower wild nature yields, 

 A fresh-blown musk-rose." 



It is said, however, that the angels possess a more beau- 

 tiful kind of Rose than those we have on earth. David saw 

 in a vision a number of angels pass by with gilded baskets 

 in their hands : 



" Some as they went, the blue-eyed violets strew, 

 Some spotless lilies in loose order threw j 

 Some did the way with full-blown roses spread, 

 Their smell divine, and colour strangely red ; 

 Not such as our dull gardens proudly wear, 



