70 
THE POETRY OF FLOWERS 
In consequence of this error he slighted the love of Echo, 
who witnessed his fruitless vows to the deceitful image. Addi¬ 
son thus translates the passage: — 
She saw him in his present misery, 
Whom, spite of all her wrongs, she grieved to see; 
She answered sadly to the lover’s moan, 
Sighed back his sighs, and groaned to every groan; 
“Ah, youth! beloved in vain,” Narcissus cries — 
“ Ah, youth! beloved in vain,” the nymph replies. 
“Farewell!” says he; the parting sound scarce fell 
From his faint' lips, but she replied, “Farewell !” 
Then on the wholesome earth he gasping lies, 
Till death shuts up those self-admiring eyes. 
To the cold shades his flitting ghost retires, 
And in the Stygian waves itself admires. 
For him the Naiads and the Dryads mourn; 
Whom the sad Echo answers in her turn ! 
And now the sister nymphs prepare his urn; 
When looking for his corpse, they only found 
A rising stalk with yellow blossoms crowned. 
Self is the medium least refined of all, 
Through which Opinion’s searching beam can fall; 
And, passing there, the clearest steadiest ray 
Will tinge its light and turn its line astray. 
Moore. 
