Marvel of Peru. 
(TIMIDITY.) 
“As sacred as the light 
She fears to perfume, perfuming the night.” 
Edgar A. Poe. 
T HE belle of the night, as the gallant French have prettily 
named this sweet emblem of bashful love, was christened 
the Marvel of Peru, because of the wonderful diversity of 
colours in the flowers ; although Rousseau, in his “ Letters on 
Botany,” avers that it obtained this attractive title from the 
fact that when it was first brought over from the New World, 
as people were then fond of designating America, everything 
was represented as marvellous. “ Strange stories,” he remarks, 
“ were related of the plants and animals they met with ; and 
those which were sent to Europe had pompous names given 
to them. One of these is the marvel of Peru, the only wonder 
of which,” he remarks, “ is the variety of colours in the flower.” 
Despite the sneers of J. J., this night beauty has other claims 
upon our admiration besides the astonishing variation of its 
colours—a variation, however, that of itself is anything but 
contemptible ; for frequently from the same roots may be seen 
blossoms 
“ Changing from the splendid rose, 
To the pale violet’s dejected hue.” 
But what renders this bashful little floral gem a favourite 
flower, especially in England, is the fact that it is one of those 
“plants which wake when others sleep,” of which only a very 
few retain their nocturnal watchfulness in these colder climes, 
whatever may be their habits in their native tropics. Rare, 
indeed, amongst us, are those plants of which the poet sings : 
