Rosemary 
203 
teries it occupied, on account of its presumed curative powers, 
a respected position, and received constant care. It was con¬ 
sidered very ornamental, and its silvery foliage was a favourite 
decoration of the garden walls. In Queen Elizabeth’s time 
it grew all over the walls of the gardens at Hampton Court 
Palace; but now is banished from the flower to the kitchen- 
garden, and there, indeed, lingers half-neglected. Shenstone 
thus expresses his indignation at the disrespect paid to rose¬ 
mary in modern times: 
“ And here, trim rosemarine, that whilom crown’d 
The daintiest garden of the proudest peer, 
Ere, driven from its envied site, it found 
A sacred shelter for its branches here, 
Where, edged with gold, its glittering skirts appear. 
Oh, wassail days! Oh, customs meet and well! 
Ere this was banished from its lofty sphere: 
Simplicity then sought this humble cell, 
Nor ever would she more with thane and lordling dwell. 
It is a common saying now-a-days, that “ in those gardens 
where the rosemary flourishes the lady rules the roast,” or, in 
other words, “ the grey mare is the better horse of the twain.” 
This plant is often cultivated in cottage-gardens for the 
bees to resort to, the honey which they extract from it being 
considered very excellent. The far-famed honey of Narbonne 
is said to derive its superiority from the abundance of rose¬ 
mary-bushes in the neighbourhood. The Narbonne almost 
equals in fame that of Mount Ida, of which Jupiter was so fond. 
