79 
HOAV PANSIES OR HART’s-EASE CAME FIRST. 
Frolick virgins once these were, 
Overloving, living here; 
Being here their ends deny’d. 
Ran for sweethearts mad, and dy’d. 
Love, in pitie of their teares, 
And their losse in blooming yeares. 
For their restlesse here-spent houres. 
Gave them hart’s-ease turned to fleures. 
Thus the Heartsease is made the emblem-flower of those 
coquettish fair ones, whose youthful smiles and blandishments 
have failed in attaining the end so devoutly wished; though, 
for my own part, I am much inclined to dispute the justice 
of Master Herrick’s decision, inasmuch as coquetry, or, to use 
a more modern term, Jiirtation, in youth, cannot possibly 
procure heart's ease in old age. 
To attempt any thing like an original illustration of a 
flower so invested with poetry by our sovereign of song 
would be, if not “ to gild refined gold,” at least to place the 
counterfeit beside the true metal, as if to betray itself. I 
have only endeavoured, by introducing some yoimg and popu¬ 
lar descendants of the Shakspearian favourite, to render the 
quoted passages yet more familiar, and the emblems more 
evident and varied. If my introduction of these modern 
beauties, as candidates for participation in the honours awarded 
to their ancient, but far less brilliant namesakes, should induce 
any Pansy fancier to acknowledge the poetical, as well as the 
