JASMINE. 311 



mine has been copied by all European lan- 

 guages. In early days this was mutilated by 

 the English into Gethsamine, Jesemin, and 

 Jasme. It is also the Jasmin, as well as Kajan, 

 and Zambach of the Arabians. At what time 

 this agreeable plant first perfumed the British 

 atmosphere is uncertain : Mr. Aiton says, in 

 1548 ; but we consider it to have been much 

 longer acquainted with our soil, as Dr. Tur- 

 ner calls it our comen iefemine in his work, 



part of which was printed in 1557 ; and it ap- 

 pears to have been so common in the time of 

 Gerard, as to have been thought a native 

 plant by some persons. This excellent au- 

 thor says, " Gelsemine is fostered in gar- 

 dens, and is vsed for arbors, and to couer 

 banquetting houses in gardens ; it groweth 

 not wilde in England, that I can vnderstande 

 of, though master Lyte be of another opi- 

 nion : the white jasmine is common in most 

 places of Englande." 



If we may believe a Tuscan tale, we owe 

 our thanks to Cupid for the distribution of 

 this pretty shrub. We are told that a Duke 

 of Tuscany was the first possessor of it in 

 Europe, and he was so jealously fearful lest 

 others should enjoy what he alone wished to 

 possess, that strict injunctions were given to 



x 4 



