Weeping Willow. 
9 i 
Our immortal bard, whose knowledge of florigraphy was as 
thorough as was all his perceptions of things affecting the 
human passions, again most appropriately introduces this em¬ 
blematic plant into the scene of Ophelia’s death: 
“ There is a willow grows aslant the brook, 
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream; 
There with fantastic garlands did she come, 
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, 
That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, 
But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers call them; 
There on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds 
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke; 
When down her weedy trophies and herself 
Fell in the weeping brook.” 
In that most exquisite, lovely scene in the “ Merchant of 
Venice,” where Jessica and Lorenzo hold sweet conference, 
Shakspeare yet again makes use of this plant as the symbol of 
unfortunate love. Lorenzo, alluding to the abandonment of 
the ill-treated Carthaginian queen by ^Eneas, says: 
“ In such a night 
Stood Dido, with a willow in her hand, 
Upon the wild sea-banks, and waved her love 
To come again to Carthage.” 
Numberless other excerpts from the glowing verse of “ Na¬ 
ture’s child” might be given to prove that he regarded the 
willow as the emblem of grief; but, cui bono ? His worthy 
compatriot, Michael Drayton, speaks of it in his wreath of 
typical floralities, the “ Muses’ Elysium,” thus: 
“ In love, the sad forsaken wight 
The willow garland weareth.” 
Spenser designates it as 
“ The willow worn of forlorn paramours.” 
Robert Herrick, in that medley of sweets and sours, his 
“ Hesperides,” has two beautiful poems respectively addressed 
to the willow-tree and a willow garland. The first runs thus : 
“Thou art to all lost love the best, “ When once the lover’s rose is dead, 
The only true plant found; Or laid aside forlorn, 
Wherewith young men and maids distrest, Then willow garlands ’bout the head, 
And left of love, are crowned. Bedewed with tears, are worn. 
