34 THE POETRY OF FLOWERS 
of its charms, although each poet in turn has made it the 
theme of song, or introduced eulogiums on its beauty to heigh¬ 
ten the attractions of his poesy. 
Not one of all the train has, however, been able to do justice 
to its merits, though they have denominated it the daughter of 
heaven, the ornament of the earth, and the glory of spring. 
When it opens its delicate buds, the eye surveys its harmo¬ 
nious outlines with delight. But how shall we describe the 
delicate tints of its enchanting colours, or the sweet perfume 
which it exhales ? Behold, in the spring it raises itself softly 
in the midst of its elegant foliage, surrounded by its numerous 
buds. This, the queen of flowers, and the pride of Flora, 
seems to sport with the air that fans her, to deck herself with 
the dew-drops that impearl her, and to smile upon the rays of 
the sun which cause the expansion of her beautiful form 
Proud be the rose, with rains and dews 
Her head impearling. 
Wordsworth. 
In producing this flower, nature appears to have exhausted 
herself by her prodigality, in attempting to produce so fine a 
specimen of freshness, of beauty in form, of exquisite perfume, 
of brilliancy of colour, and of grace. The rose adorns the 
the whole earth, as it is the commonest of flowers. The same 
day that its beauty is perfected it dies ; but each spring restores 
it to us with renewed freshness. Poets have had fair oppor¬ 
tunities for singing its praises, yet they have not rendered its 
eulogy common-place, but its name alone redeems their names 
from forgetfulness. Emblem of all ages — interpreter of all 
our sentiments — the rose mingles in the gayety of our feasts, 
in our happiness, and in our sorrows. It is also the ornament 
of beauty, and lends its soft carnation hues to the blush of 
modesty. It is given as the prize of virtue ; and is the image 
of youth, of innocence, and of pleasure. Yenus is said to feel 
that she has a rival in the rose, as it possesses, like her, a 
grace which is more lovely than beauty itself. 
