CONCERNING ROSE-SHOWS 



193 



' Lars Porsenna of Clusium, 

 When by his gods he swore, 

 That the great house of Tarquin, 

 Should suffer wrong no more ' — 



I vowed that her Majesty should have her own 

 again, and in a court of unparalleled and unassisted 

 splendour should declare herself monarch of the 

 floral world. 



Carrying out this loyal resolution, I forthwith sug- 

 gested in the pages of The Florist (April 1857), to all 

 Rose-growers, amateur and professional, *that we 

 should hold near some central station a GRAND 

 National Rose-Show — a feast of Roses, at which 

 the whole brotherhood might meet in love and unity, 

 to drink, out of cups of silver, success to the Queen of 

 Flowers.' And I must confess that, when I had 

 made this proposal to the world, I rather purred 

 internally with self-approbation. I felt confident 

 that the world would be pleased. Would the world 

 send me a deputation ? Should I be chaired at the 

 London flower-shows. Perhaps I should be made 

 a baronet. For some days after the publication 

 of the magazine I waited anxiously at home. I 

 opened my letters nervously, but the public made no 

 sign. Had it gone wild with joy? or were its 

 emotions too deep for words ? Weeks passed and it 



still was mute. I was disappointed. I had thought 



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