316 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



fice there to Pluto and Proserpine, to adorn the sepulchre 

 with roses, and to feast upon the remainder of the sacra- 

 fice. 



We have seen, within these few years, the body of a 

 child carried to a country church for burial, by young 

 girls dressed in white, each carrying a rose in her hand. 



Poetry is lavish of roses ; it heaps them into beds, weaves 

 them into crowns, twines them into arbours, forges them 

 into chains, adorns with them the goblet used in the 

 festivals of Bacchus, plants them in the bosom of beauty. 

 Nay, not only delights to bring in the rose itself upon 

 every occasion, but seizes each particular beauty it pos- 

 sesses as an object of comparison with the loveliest works of 

 nature ; As soft as a Rose leaf; As sweet as a Rose ; 

 Rosy-clouds ; Rosy-cheeks ; Rosy-lips ; Rosy-blushes ; 

 Rosy-dawns, &c. &c. It is commonly united with the lily : 



' ' A bed of lilies flower upon her cheek, 

 And in the midst was set a circling rose." 



P. FLETCHER. 



" Rosed all in lovely crimson are thy cheeks, 

 Where beauties indeflourishing abide, 

 And as to pass his fellow either seeks, 

 Seem both to blush at one another's pride." 



G. FLETCHER. 



" Tell me have ye seen her angel-like face, 

 Like Phoebe fair ? 



Her heavenly 'haviour, her princely grace 

 Can you well compare ? 

 The red-rose medled with the white y-fere, 

 In either cheek depeinten lively chear : 

 Her modest eye, 

 Her majesty, 

 Where have you seen the like but here ?" 



SPENSER. 



" The rois knoppis, te tand furth thare hede, 

 Gan chyp, and kyth thare vernale lippis rede ; 



