VIOLET. 379 



Ebn Abrumi, an Arabian poet, compares blue eyes 

 weeping, to Violets bathed in dew *. 



How beautiful is the following passage in the Winter's 

 Tale! 



-' ' violets, dim, 



But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes, 

 Or Cytherea's breath." 



In Cymbeline, Belisarius, speaking of the two young 

 princes, says, 



" They are as gentle 



As zephyrs, blowing below the violet, 

 Not wagging his sweet head :" 



In Twelfth Night again, the poet has some exquisite 

 lines upon this flower, where the duke, listening to plain- 

 tive music, desires 



" That strain again ; it had a dying fall : 

 O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south, 

 That breathes upon a bank of violets, 

 Stealing, and giving odour." 



We are told, in the notes to Mr. Steevens' Edition of 

 Shakspeare, that the Violet is an emblem of faithfulness : 

 to corroborate which, he gives some lines from a sonnet, 

 published in a collection printed in the year 1584 : 



" Violet is for faithfulnesse 



Which in me shall abide ; 

 Hoping likewise that from your heart 

 You will not let it slide." 



Burns speaks of the hyacinth as an emblem of fidelity : 

 its virtue lies, it seems, in the colour, and may be extended 

 to all flowers of true blue. The insertion of the song will 

 be readily forgiven me. 



" O luve will venture in, where it daur na weel be seen, 

 O luve will venture in, where wisdom ance has been ; 

 But I will down yon river rove, amang the wood sae green, 

 .And a' to pu' a posie to my ain dear May. 



* Sec Carlisle's Specimens of Arabian Poetry, 75. 



