THE DAME’S VIOLET. 
69 
“ This plant is much cultivated in gardens for the 
perfume of its flowers, which induces the ladies in Ger¬ 
many to keep it also in pots in their apartments; whence 
it obtained the name of Dame’s violet.” 
These fragrant greetings, from evening-scented 
flowers, no less delightful than unexpected, cannot fail 
to arrest the attention of the passer-by, and awaken 
many pleasant, and sometimes admonitory, imaginings. 
At such times we can enter into the spirit of those 
sweet lines in “ Paradise Lost,” applying them to 
evening instead of morning flowers, and fancy, with the 
author, that in this manner “ creatures wanting voice ” 
do yield 
“ Their evening incense, when all things that breathe 
From the earth’s great altar send up silent praise 
To the Creator.” 
Nor can we forget the injunction, so beautifully urged 
in Thomson’s hymn: — 
“ Soft roll your incense, herbs, and fruits, and flowers, 
In mingled clouds to Him whose sun exalts, 
Whose breath perfumes you, and whose pencil paints.” 
