86 THE BEAUTIES OF APRIL AND MAY. 



_ Before the trees have ventured to unfold their leaves^ 

 and while the icicles are pendant on our houses, the 

 snow-drop breaks her way through the frozen soil, fear- 

 less of danger. Next peeps out the crocus, but cautious- 

 ly, and with an air of timidity, She shuns the howling 

 blasts, and cleaves closely to her low situation. 

 Nor is the violet last in the shining embassy, which, 

 with all the embellishments that would grace a royal 

 garden, condescends to line our borders, and bloom at 

 the feet of briars. Freely she distributes the bounty 

 of her emissive sweets, while herself retires from sight, 

 seeking rather to administer pleasure than to win ad- 

 miration. Emblem, expressive emblem, of those 

 modest virtues, which delight to bloom in obscurity. 

 There are several kinds of violets, but the fragrant, 

 both blue and white, are the earliest. Shakspeare 

 compares an exquisitely sweet strain of music to the 

 delicious scent of this flower : 



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

 That breathes upon a bank of violets, 

 Stealing and giving odour.'' 



The pious Hervey, in his admonitions to those who 

 indulge in sloth, has thrown out the following sublime 

 ideas : " What sweets are those which so agreeably 

 salute my nostrils ? They are the breath of the flow- 

 ers, the incense of the garden. How liberally does 

 the jasmine dispense her odoriferous riches ! How 

 deliciously has the woodbine embalmed this morning 

 walk ! The air is all perfume. And is not this 

 another most engaging argument to forsake the bed 



