FLORAL CEREMONIES. 117 
Bending beneath the tears of pearly dawn, 
The snow-white lily glitters o’er the lawn ; 
Lo ! from the bough reclines the damask rose, 
And o’er the lily’s milk-white bosom glows ; 
Fresh in the dew, far o’er the painted dales. 
Each fragrant herb her sweetest scent exhales.” j 
Camoens. 
I We must not now pause to describe how 
“ Pomona, fired with rival envy, views 
The glaring pride of Flora’s darling hues,” 
And endeavors to outvie their beauty and fra¬ 
grance with her own luscious productions, but 1 
turn to the author of the Task.”—Listen to ’ 
him ! —Oh, lady readers !— 
" The spleen is seldom felt where Flora reigns, j 
The low’ring eye, the petulance, the frown. 
And sullen sadness that o’ershade, distort. 
And mar the face of beauty, when no cause 
For such immeasurable woe appears : 
These Flora banishes, and gives the fair I 
Sweet smiles, and bloom less transient than her own.” i 
COWPER. j 
! From the Homan Antiquities we learn, that | 
; “ Among the Latins, a bride on her wedding- ! 
