of all, Shakespeare, born in April him- 

 self, has celebrated the flowers of his 

 month by loving and frequent refer- 

 ence. The iris, the mary-buds, and 

 daffodils are mentioned over and over 

 again, his love of flowers, like his 

 knowledge of them, being remarkable. 

 The daffodil, a species of which grows 

 wild in England, has been the subject 

 of some of the prettiest poems ever 

 written. It was Herrick who wrote, 



" Fair daffodils, we weep to see 

 You haste away so soon." 



Wordsworth's even more charming 

 verses on the same flowers begin: — 



" I wandered lonely as a cloud 

 That floats on high o'er vales and hills, 

 When all at once I saw a crowd, 

 A host of golden daffodils, 

 Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 

 Flutt'ring and dancing in the breeze." 



All through England this pretty 

 posy is woven about with quaint con- 

 ceits. It is sometimes called lent-lily, 

 9 



