DAISY. 
43 
DAISY. 
INNOCENCE. 
Fabulous history informs us that the Daisy 
owed its origin to Belides, one of the nymphs 
called Dryads, who were supposed to preside 
over meadows and pastures. While dancing 
on the turf with Ephigeus, whose suit she en¬ 
couraged, she attracted the admiration of Ver- 
tumnus, the deity who presided over orchards; 
and, to escape from him, she was transformed 
into the humble flower, the Latin name of which 
is Beilis. The ancient English name of this 
flower was Day’s Eye, in which way it is written 
by Ben Jonson; and Chaucer calls it the “ ee 
of the daie.” No doubt it received this desig¬ 
nation from its habit of closing its petals at 
night, which it also does in rainy weather. 
The Daisy has always been a favourite with 
poets. Shakspeare speaks of it as the flower 
Whose white investments figure innocence. 
