THE LAP OF PROSERPINE 



ii 



jULY is a serious month, for harvest time 

 approaches. Now her amber - coloured 

 mast tones the raiment of the beech ; 

 maple and ash shake out their key-clusters, 

 and infant hazel-nuts peep out of their green bibs and 

 tuckers. The avens begins to pass, and soft burrs have 

 taken the place of his blossoms, while the goose-grass 

 leaves fruit to cling with the grass seeds on each 

 wayfarer. Now purple of knapweed and saw-wort 

 brightens the way ; fig-worts blossom in chocolate and 

 gold, the sky-blue sheep's scabious is out, and the 

 mauve rosettes of the gipsy-rose bloom nobly. With 

 them many bright yellow flowers toad-flax, sow- 

 thistle, goat's-beard, lotus, nipple-wort, agrimony, and 

 St. John's worts appear. Of these last, the fairest 

 by far is the slender hypericum, whose bud is crimson, 

 and whose habit is delicate and dainty beyond the 

 rest. Another flower of modest mien that loves 

 seclusion is the enchanter's nightshade, whose pale 

 spires now rise above heart-shaped foliage in shadowy 

 corners. Prunella and ground-ivy still bloom bravely, 



126 



