150 THE POETRY OF FLOWERS 
forest-trees. It is well suited to be an ornament in parks; to 
adorn the castles of nobility, and to shade the residence of 
kings. It luxuriates at the Tuileries, where it rises around the 
great pond in masses of incomparable beauty. At the Lux¬ 
embourg it spreads its branches in accordant pomp and splen¬ 
dour ; — 
There avenues of chestnuts high 
With vaulted roofs conceal the sky. 
In the beginning of spring, one rainy day is sufficient to cause 
this beautiful tree to cover itself with verdure. If it be plant¬ 
ed alone, nothing surpasses the elegance of its pyramidal form, 
the beauty of its foliage, or the richness of its flowers, which 
sometimes make it appear as an immense lustre or chandelier, 
all covered with pearls. Fond of ostentation and richness, it 
covers with flowers the grass which it overshadows, and yields 
to the idler a most delightful shade. To the poor man it is of 
little service, supplying him with nothing more than a light 
and porous timber, and a bitter fruit. Naturalists and phj si- 
cians have attributed to this child of Asia a thousand good 
qualities which it does not possess. 
Sunny-haired Eloise! wealth is thine own ; 
Rich is thy silken robe — bright is thy zone; 
Diamonds, like star-drops, thy silken braids deck ; 
Pearls waste their snow on thy lovelier neck; 
Luxury softens thy pillow for sleep — 
Angels watch over it! —Why do you weep? 
r. s. o 
