Ti 
The bloffoms of the Cowflip, in its wild flate, ufually hang to one fide; this appearance has in part been 
noriced even by Poets (who,' in general, have not fufficiently attended to the works of Nature) thus Thomson 
in his Sealons, Spring, line 443. . 
Then feek the hank inhere flowering Elders crowd. 
Where fcattcred wild the Lily of the vale 
Its balmy effence breathes, where Cowslips hang 
The dewy head, where purple Violets lurk , 
And Milton, in his Lycidas, r r , .. 
Bring the rathe primrofe that forfaken dies, 
The tufted crow-toe, and pale jejfamine , 
The white pink, and the panjie freakt with jet. 
The glowing violet, 
The mujk-rofe, and the well-attired woodbine. 
With Cowslips wan that hang the pensive head. 
And every flower that fad embroidery wears : 
Bid amaranthus all his beauty Jhed, 
And daffodillies fill their cups with tears, 
T 0 flrew the laureat hearfe where Lycid lies. 
We have here quoted more than was barely neceffary for our purpofe, as it gives us an opportunity of jollifying 
the remarkabove made; the glaring anachronifm, if we may be allowed the expreffion . m the blowing of filch 
tilanuas Poets frequently bring together, has often appeared to us highly reprehenf.ble efpecially in thof 
whofeVrand defig^has been to reprefent the appearances, the ceconomy and the wonders of Nature in elegant 
verfe fveryladlducated in the Country knows that the Violet, the Cowflip and the Elder, flower at very 
diftan’t periods ; it is therefore extraordinary that Thomson, above all others, fhould group fuch plants when 
innumerable others prefented themfelvesl from Milton fuch accuracy was not perhaps to be expeHed ; we 
Tr^not therefore, Jbe much furprifed at his bringing together the Prmr.fi and the JeJam,nc, the produce of 
fP ’ Th g e “remTlTare not offered from a fondnefs for eriticifm, or from a defire of detraffing from works which 
have afforded us fuch exquifite pleafure ; nor are thefe felefled as the only authors in which fuch anachronifms 
are to be met with, they 4 abound in moll poetry, and fhould, as much as poffib e, be avoided ; for though they 
may not be noticed by 7 the generality of readers, they muft be regarded as blemifhes at leaft by fuch as aie 
accuflomed to view the works of nature with any degree of accuracy. ~ 
We notice with more pleafure an inftance, the reverfe of what we have thought it our duty to 
Shakespear has defcribed the bloffoms of the Cowfl.p with a degree of accuracy almoft botanical and has 
fhewn how pleafmg the moll trifling appearances in natural hillory may be rendered by an imagination like his. 
The Cowflips tall, her penfioners be. 
In their gold coats fpots you fee, 
Thofe be rubies, fairy favours. 
In thofe freckles live their favours, 
I mufl go feek fome dew drops here. 
And hang a pearl in every Cowflip’ s ear. 
The bloffoms of this plant, in point of colour, are pleafmgly and truly contralted by Milton : 
The yellow Cowslip, and the p ale Primrose. 
Linn alus gave to this plant, which he regarded as a mere variety of the Primrofe the name of officinalis, and 
which Profeflfr Jacquin, and many other refpeaable Botanifls, confidenng it as a fpecies, have continued ; it 
being more frequently ufed in medicine than any other of the genus. , . 
"Lwflip flowers have a moderately flrong, pieafant fmell, and a fomewhat roughifh bitterifli tafle, both which 
they impart, together with a yellow tinaure, to watery and to fpirituous menflrua. Vinous liquors impregnated 
witii then- flavour, by maceration, or fermentation, and flrong mfufions of them drank as tea, are fuppofed to be 
mildly corroborant, antifpafmodic, and anodyne. An infufion of three pounds of the frelh flowers in five pints 
of boiling water, is made^ in the fhops into a fyrup of a fine yellow colour, and agreeably impregnated with 
the flavour of the Cowflips.” Lewis M. Med. ed. Aik. . -ir-n-fi *1 rj 
Many good houfewives in the country are in the praaice of making a wine with Cowfhp flowers, to be ufed 
rather as a medicine than an exhilarant ; for a general opinion prevails, that they poflefs a fommferous quality : 
hence, Pope, in his imitations of Horace’s Satires, fays ludicroufly, 
If the nights feem tedious — take a wife , 
Or rather, truly, if your point be refl. 
Lettuce and Cowflip wine — Probatum eft. 
In the Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 58. there are fome . 
the name of Homer, whole poetical effufions have often enriched 
from which we fhall clpfe our account of this plant. 
Cowflip, of all belov’d, of all admir’d. 
Thee let me fing, the homely Ihepherd's pride ; 
Fit emblem of the maid I love, a form 
Gladdening the fight of man ; a fweet perfume, 
- -ii r * ~ ~ G'.jjl. 
lines on the Cowflip, by a gentleman of 
that valuable Mifcellany ; with an extraft 
Sending its balmy fragrance to the foul 
Daughter of Spring and meflenger of May, 
Which fhall I firfl declare, which raoft extol, 
Thy fovereign beauties, or thy fovereign ufe ? 
With thee the rural dame a draught prepares, 
A ne&arous draught, more lufeious to my tafle 
Than all thy boafled trafh, vine-nurturing France. 
Maidens with thee their auburn treffes braid ; 
Or, with the daify and the primrofe pale, 
Thy flowers entwining, weave a chaplet fair, 
To grace that pole round which the village train 
Lead on their dance to greet the jocund May ; 
Jocund 111 call it, for it lends a fmile 
To thee, who never fmil’ft but once a year; 
I name thee not, thou poor unpitied wretch ! 
pf all defpis’d*, fave him whofe liberal heart 
* The Chimney-Sweeper. 
Taught him to feel your wrongs, and plead your caufe, 
Departed Hanway Peace be to his foul ! 
• Great is that man who quits the path .of fame, 
l Who, wealth forfaking, iloops his towering mind 
From learning’s heights, and ftretches out his arm 
v To raife from dull the meanefl of his kind. 
« Now that the Mufe to thee her debt has paid, 
1 Friend of the poor and guardian of the wrong’d, 
2 Back let her pleas’d return, to view thofe fports, 
I Whofe rude fimplicity has charms for me 
Beyond the ball or midnight mafquerade : 
Oft on that merry morn I’ve join’d their throng, 
A glad fpe£lator ; oft their uncouth dance 
Ey’d mofl attentive ; when, with tawdry fhew, 
Ill-forted ribbons deck’d each maiden’s cap. 
And Cowflip-garlands every ruflic hat : 
I Who that has eyes to fee or heart to feel, 
h Would change this Ample wreath which fhepherds wear, 
x Ev’n for that golden circle which furrounds 
The temples of a king P 
