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THE LILY AND THE ROSE. 
BY COWPER. 
T'ne nymph must lose her female friend 
If more admired than she— 
But where will fierce contention end, 
If flowers can disagree ? 
Within the garden’s peaceful scene 
Appear’d two lovely foes, 
Aspiring to the rank of queen, 
The Lily and the Rose. 
The Rose soon redden’d into rage, 
And swelling with disdain, 
Appeal’d to many a poet’s page 
To prove her right to reign. 
The Lily’s height bespoke command, 
A fair imperial flower ; 
She seem’d design’d for Flora’s hand, 
The sceptre of her power. 
This civil bickering and debate 
The goddess chanced to hear ; 
And tlew to save, cre yet too late, 
The p-ide of the 2arterre. 
"Your 
And 
And, i 
let e 
Thus 
The! 
The se 
They 
Tha 
Bene 
Ig see 
More 
Tay 
bre 
Noon 
Ren; 
