evening primrose. 
It is uncertain when this beautiful flower 
was first introduced into England, though 
we know that it was brought from Virginia 
to Padua in the year 1619. It is a general 
favourite with our poets, who give it a very 
different character to that we have assigned 
to it in floral language. We presume that 
it has been made the emblem of Inconstancy 
on account of the transient duration ot its 
flowers. It opens between six and seven 
o’clock in the evening. We extract the 
following lines on this flower from Clare s 
Rural Muse : — 
When once the sun sinks in the west, 
And dew-drops pearl the Evening s breast; 
Almost as pale as moon-beams are, 
Or its companionable star, 
The evening primrose opes anew 
Its delicate blossoms to the dew ; 
And, hermit like, shunning the light, 
Wastes its fair bloom upon the Night, 
Who, blindfold to its fond caresses, 
Knows not the beauty he possesses. 
Thus it blooms on while Night is by ; 
When Day looks out with open eye, 
’Bashed at the gaze it cannot shun, 
It faints, and withers, and is gone.. 
