FLORA DOMESTICA. 



the Myrtle with the Bay, or Beaumont with Fletcher. 

 Shenstone, in describing the delights of a country walk 

 after long confinement in sickness, makes particular men- 

 tion of this fragrant pair : 



" Come, gentle air ! and while the thickets bloom, 



Convey the jasmine's hreath divine ; 

 Convey the woodbine's rich perfume, 

 Nor spare the sweet-leafed eglantine." 



" Yonder is a girl who lingers 

 Where wild honeysuckle grows, 

 Mingling with the briar-rose ; 

 And with eager outstretched fingers, 

 Tip-toe standing, vainly tries 

 To reach the hedge-enveloped prize." 



H. SMITH. 



" Wound in the hedge-row's oaken boughs 

 The woodbine's tassels float in air, 

 And, blushing, the uncultured rose 

 Hangs high her beauteous blossoms there." 



MRS. C. SMITH. 



The two latter passages equally apply to the Common 

 Wild Rose ; which can boast the praise of Chaucer : 



" As swete as is the bramble floure 

 That bereth the red hepe." 



Chaucer, in the Flower and the Leaf, describes a plea- 

 sant arbour formed by Sycamore and Eglantine : 



" And I, that all these plesaunt sightis se, 

 Thought suddainly I felt so swete an air 

 Of the eglentere, that certainly 

 There is no hert (I deme) in such despair, 

 Ne yet with .thoughtis forward and contraire, 

 So overlaid, but it should sone have bote 

 If it had onis felt this savour sote." 



Keats alludes more than once to the sweet perfume of 

 the Eglantine, when moist with rain or dew : 



" Its sides I'll plant with dew-sweet eglantine 

 And honeysuckles full of clear bee-wine." 



ENDYMION, p. 193. 



