56 
LANGUAGE OF FLOAVERS. 
There are several species of the Narcissus. 
That called the Poetic is the largest of the white 
kinds, and may be distinguished from all others 
by the crimson border of the very shallow and 
almost flat cup of the nectary. The double 
variety is the most frequent in gardens. The 
narrow-leafed crimson-edged Narcissus is the 
only one that resembles the Poetic, but it is not 
much more than half as large, with narrower 
leaves, a flatter form, and the edge of the nec¬ 
tary more prominent. It flowers earlier than 
the other. 
The Yellow Narcissus is better known by the 
name of Daffodil. By early writers this flower 
was considered as a species of lily. It has even 
been conjectured that the name is a corruption 
of Dis’s Lily, as it is supposed to be the flower 
dropped from the chariot of Dis or Pluto, in his 
flight with Proserpine. 
Shakspeare, in his Winter’s Tale, alludes to 
this story, as well as to the early season in 
which the Daffodil flowers: 
O Proserpina, 
For the flowers now that, frighted, thou lett’st fall 
From Dis’s waggon : Daffodils 
That come before the swallow dares, and take 
The winds of March with beauty. 
