208 PROSERPINA. 



clusters of the common veronicas, if luxuriant, throw their 

 blossoms about anywhere. But the idea of an upper and 

 lower petal is always kept in the flower's little mind. 



7. In the second place, it is a quite open and flat quatrefoil 

 so separating itself from the belled quadrature of the heath, 

 and the tubed and primrose-like quadrature of the cruciferae ; 

 and, both as a quatrefoil, and as an open one, it is separated 

 from the foxgloves and snapdragons, which are neither qua- 

 trefoils, nor open ; but are cinqfoils shut up ! 



8. In the third place, open and flat though the flower be, it 

 is monopetalous ; all the four arms of the cross strictly be- 

 coming one in the centre ; so that, though the blue foils look 

 no less sharply separate than those of a buttercup or a cistus ; 

 and are so delicate that one expects them to fall from their 

 stalk if we breathe too near, do but lay hold of one, and, 

 at the touch, the entire blossom is lifted from its stalk, and 

 may be laid, in perfect shape, on our paper before us, as easily 

 as if it had been a nicely made-up blue bonnet, lifted off its 

 stand by the milliner. 



I pause here, to consider a little ; because I find myself 

 mixing up two characteristics which have nothing necessary 

 in their relation ; namely, the unity of the blossom, and its 

 coming easily off the stalk. The separate petals of the cistus 

 and cherry fall as easily as the foxglove drops its bells ; on 

 the other hand, there are monopetalous things that don't drop, 

 but hold on like the convoluta,* and make the rest of the tree 

 sad for their dying. I do not see my way to any systematic- 

 noting of decadent or persistent corolla ; but, in passing, we 

 may thank the veronica for never allowing us to see how it 

 fades, f and being always cheerful and lovely, while it is with us. 



* I find much more difficulty, myself, being old, in using my altered 

 names for species than my young scholars will. In watching the bells 

 of the purple bindweed fade at evening, let them learn the fourth verse 

 of the prayer of Hezekiah, as it is in the Vulgate" Generatio mea 

 ablata est, et convoluta est a me, sicut tabernaculum pastoris," and 

 they will not forget the name of the fast-fadingever renewed a bells 

 d'un jour." 



f " It is Miss Cobbe, I think, who says, * all wild flowers know how 

 to die gracefully.' "A. 



