GREAT WHITE WATER-LILY. 87 



candour, have declared it scentless. On this point, 

 Mr Luxford remarks : " In the ' English Flora,' the 

 flowers are said to be without scent; I have found 

 them, on the contrary, to give out a powerful and 

 exceedingly disagreeable odour." Like the other 

 Water-Lilies, this one has its peculiar times of open- 

 ing and closing. Long ago, it was observed that 



" When evening tinged the lake's ethereal blue," 



the White Water-Lily closed its pearly petals, the 

 blossom-bud floating on the surface of the water or 

 sinking beneath it. But 



" The morn is up again, the dewy morn, 



With breath all incense, and with cheek all bloom 

 Laughing the clouds away with playful scorn, 

 And living as if earth contained no tomb." 



And with the rising of the bright morning sun, the 

 beauteous Lily arises from her watery lair, decked 

 in new loveliness, fresh from the bosom of the crystal 

 waters 



" Those virgin Lilies all the night 



Bathing their beauties in the lake, 

 That they may rise more fresh and bright 

 When their beloved sun's awake." 



According to the observations of Linnaeus, the 

 flowers are not fully opened till about seven in the 

 morning, and close about four in the afternoon. 



