TEE FLOWER. 



59 



the aggrieved corolla smooths itself in the sun, and comforts 

 itself as it can ; but remains visibly crushed and hurt to the 

 end of its days. 



20. Not so flowers of gracious breeding. Look at these 

 four stages in the young life of a primrose, Fig. 7. First 

 confined, as strictly as the poppy within five pinching green 

 leaves, whose points close over it, the little thing is content 

 to remain a child, and finds its nursery large enough. The 

 green leaves unclose their points, the little yellow ones 

 peep out, like ducklings. They find the light delicious, and 



FIG. 7. 



open wide to it ; and grow, and grow, and throw themselves 

 wider at last into their perfect rose. But they never leave 

 their old nursery for all that ; it and they live on together ; 

 and the nursery seems a part of the flower. 



21. Which is so, indeed, in all the loveliest flowers ; and, in 

 usual botanical parlance, a flower is said to consist of its 

 calyx, (or hiding part Calypso having rule over it,) and 

 corolla, or garland part, Proserpina having rule over it. But 

 it is better to think of them always as separate ; for this 

 calyx, very justly so named from its main function of conceal- 

 ing the flower, in its youth is usually green, not coloured, and 



