V 



THE QUINCES 



Cydonia vulgaris . . The Common Quince 



japonica . . " Japonica," the Japanese Quince 



sinensis . . . Chinese Quince 



cathayensis 



Maulei . . . Maule's Quince 



A QUINCE, surely the most beautiful of all 

 flowering shrubs, every long green curving 

 branch starred with large single delicate pink 

 and white blossoms. Bear with me if I do not 

 describe it adequately; for in truth, I think the poet 

 himself could not do so. If I spoke of it as a shower 

 or rather a fountain of bloom, a fountain whose 

 delicate dome curves and falls, but fades and fails 

 not, should I be exaggerating or ... pressing the 

 power of language too far and striving to make 

 words serve more than their large but withal limited 

 purpose?" 



It was the Common Quince in "Veronica's Garden" 

 that called forth this outburst of enthusiasm on the 

 part of the Poet Laureate, and it was not misplaced, 

 though recognition of the beauty of Quinces in general 

 seems for the most part strangely limited to that of 



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