FLOEAL SYMBOLS. 
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Pol. Shepherdess 
(A fair one are you), well you fit our age 
With flowers of winter.” [iv. 3.] 
It is, perhaps, the greatest evidence of the transcen¬ 
dency of Shakspere's genius, that in the philosophy of 
little things there is a stern regard to truth of detail. 
Never does he mention an insect or a flower, but it is in 
harmony with the season, place, and moral of the event 
it serves to illustrate. In the same scene as we have 
just quoted, he makes Perdita give flowers to her visitors 
appropriate to, and symbolical of, their various ages :— 
“ Here’s flowers for you; 
Hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram ; 
The marigold, that goes to bed with the sun, 
And with him rises weeping : these are flowers 
Of middle summer, and, I think, they are given 
To men of middle age.- 
****** 
Now, my fairest friend, 
I would I had some flowers o’ the spring, that might 
Become your time of day ; and yours, and yours; 
That wear upon your virgin branches yet. 
****** 
Daffodils, 
That come before the swallow dares, and take 
The winds of March with beauty; violets dim, 
But sweeter than the lids of Juno’s eyes, 
Or Cytherea’s breath; pale primroses, 
That die unmarried, ere they can behold 
Bright Phoebus in his strength, a malady 
Most incident to maids; both oxlips, and 
The crown imperial; lilies of all kinds, 
The fleur-de-lis being one !” 
But the most beautiful of Shakspere's floral symbols 
