VIOLA. 175 



it must be a violet ! But according to M. Figuier, let me 

 see, do its middle petals bend up, or down ? 



I think I'll go and ask the gardener what he calls it. 



22. My gardener, on appeal to him, tells me it is the 'Viola 

 Cornuta,' but that he does not know himself if it is violet or 

 pansy. I take my Loudon again, and find there were fifty- 

 three species of violets, known in his days, of which, as it 

 chances, Cornuta is exactly the last. 



'Horned violet' : I said the green things were like horns ! 

 but what is one to say of, or to do to, scientific people, who 

 first call the spur of the violet's petal, horn, and then its 

 calyx points, horns, and never define a ' horn ' all the while ! 



Viola Cornuta, however, let it be ; for the name does mean 

 something, and is not false Latin. But whether violet or 

 pansy, I must look farther to find out. 



23. I take the Flora Danica, in which I at least am sure of 

 finding whatever is done at all, done as well as honesty and 

 care can ; and look what species of violets it gives. 



Nine, in the first ten volumes of it ; four in their modern 

 sequel (that I know of, I have had no time to examine the 

 last issues). Namely, in alphabetical order, with their pres- 

 ent Latin, or tentative Latin, names ; and in plain English, 

 the senses intended by the hapless scientific people, in such 

 their tentative Latin : 



(1) Viola Arvensis Field (Violet) No. 1748 



(2) " Biflora. Two-flowered 46 



(3) " Canina. Dog 1453 



(3s) " Canina. Var. Multicaulis (many-stemmed), 



a very singular sort of violet if it were 

 so ! Its real difference from our dog- 

 violet is in being pale blue, and having a 



golden centre 2646 



(4) Hirta. Hairy 618 



(5) " Mirabilis. Marvellous 1045 



(6) " Montana. Mountain 1329 



(7) " Odorata. Odorous 309 



(8) Palustris, Marshy 83 



