86 A WHITE-PAPER GARDEN 



and that under them the violets love to grow, 

 and violets are as much a part of April as the 

 sunshine or the rain. When one begins to 

 speak of violets one loses all self-control and 

 becomes frankly sentimental, and ready to 

 swear with Mahomet that they are " only 

 comparable with the religion of Islam." Of 

 them more than of any flower it may be 

 said that " they admonish and stir up a man 

 to that which is comelie and honest, for their 

 beauty, varietie of colours and exquisite form 

 do bring to a liberal and gentlemanlie mind 

 the remembrance of honestie, comeliness and 

 all kinds of virtue." Such is what the old 

 herbalist Gerarde calls "the gallant grace of 

 violets," that its colour gives name to one of 

 the bands of the rainbow. 



" Those seven listed colours whence the Sun 

 Maketh his bow, and Cynthia her zone." 



The rainbow itself would be unimaginable 

 but for the thrill of that last, loveliest, fleeting 

 bar given the last place, as in a triumphant 

 pageant the crowning glory is left for the 

 vanishing moment. In almost all languages 

 its name is but a variant of one singing word. 



