THYME. 99 
THYME. 
ACTIVITY. 
Flies of all shapes, beetles, of all hues, light 
butterflies, and vigilant bees, for ever surround 
the flowery tufts of Thyme. It may be that to 
these cheerful inhabitants of the air, whose life 
is a long spring, these little tufts appear like an 
immense tree, old as the earth, and covered with 
eternal verdure, begemmed with myriads of flowery 
vases, filled with honey for their express en- 
joyment. 
Among the Greeks, Thyme denoted the graceful 
elegance of the Attic style; because it covered 
Mount Hymettus and gave the aromatic flavour, of 
which the ancients were so fond, to the honey 
made there. " To smell of Thyme" was, there- 
fore, a commendation bestowed on those writers 
who had made themselves masters of the Attic 
style. 
Activity is a warlike virtue, always associated 
