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FLORA JEALOUS.
TO DR. THORNTON
The
British Empire, observes Dr. Thornton, whilst supporting the
destinies of Europe, great, beyond any former example, in the exploits
of her Warriors, at the same time that she crowns the brow of the Conqueror
with the laurel expressive of victory, respects and cherishes the
Liberal Arts, which add no less to the glory of a nation.
Thus, whilst her thunders are hurled in the North, South, and East;
the labours of Art are encouraged at home, and under Britannia's
auspices, even during a period of more than ten years' warfare, supported
with the firmness and dignity of a truly great nation, stupendous Works
have been undertaken, which prove the great advancement of the Imitative
Arts. Nor have the arts of Painting and Engraving alone reached
their pre-eminence, but the English have likewise carried the manufactory
of Paper to the utmost pitch of perfection, and our Type has risen
superior to that of any other civilized nation of the globe.
With all these combined advantages, the Labours of Genius and of
Talent have been brought forward in a way highly creditable to the respective
Authors, and honourable to our Nation. Hence have appeared
those Galleries of Paintings, illustrative of our immortal Bards, Shakspeare
and Milton, whilst the Sacred and Historic Pages are adorned
with the useful exertions of a most noble Art, which does far more than
language can accomplish.—Whilst the combined powers of such a Nation
are thus assembled to illustrate and embellish the fancy of Poets,
or Sacred and Historic Truth; the Science of Botany, advanced as it has
been by Linnæus and subsequent authors, and by the glowing imaginations
of modern Poets, seemed to claim also a right to press the Arts
into her service.
Hence have appeared Dr. T.'s Philosophy of Botany, including a New
Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnœus, and his Temple of Flora, or
Garden of Nature
.
The Portrait of Dr. Thornton (by Russell, R. A.) is graced by some
elegant Verses, which begin thus:—
Thornton! while polished Darwin tells.
The loves of Flora's gaudy train,
'Tis thine to guard from time's decay
The fading glories of her reign.
Thy garden of perpetual bloom
No change of threatening skies can fear;
Nor dashing rains, nor chilling blasts,
Can reach the lovely fav'rites here.
,
ON RECEIVING A PRESENT OF SOME BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED PLANTS FROM HIS TEMPLE OF FLORA, TO DECORATE “THE POET'S COTTAGE
.”
The British Empire, observes Dr. Thornton, whilst supporting the destinies of Europe, great, beyond any former example, in the exploits of her Warriors, at the same time that she crowns the brow of the Conqueror with the laurel expressive of victory, respects and cherishes the Liberal Arts, which add no less to the glory of a nation.
Thus, whilst her thunders are hurled in the North, South, and East; the labours of Art are encouraged at home, and under Britannia's auspices, even during a period of more than ten years' warfare, supported with the firmness and dignity of a truly great nation, stupendous Works have been undertaken, which prove the great advancement of the Imitative Arts. Nor have the arts of Painting and Engraving alone reached their pre-eminence, but the English have likewise carried the manufactory of Paper to the utmost pitch of perfection, and our Type has risen superior to that of any other civilized nation of the globe.
With all these combined advantages, the Labours of Genius and of Talent have been brought forward in a way highly creditable to the respective Authors, and honourable to our Nation. Hence have appeared those Galleries of Paintings, illustrative of our immortal Bards, Shakspeare and Milton, whilst the Sacred and Historic Pages are adorned with the useful exertions of a most noble Art, which does far more than language can accomplish.—Whilst the combined powers of such a Nation are thus assembled to illustrate and embellish the fancy of Poets, or Sacred and Historic Truth; the Science of Botany, advanced as it has been by Linnæus and subsequent authors, and by the glowing imaginations of modern Poets, seemed to claim also a right to press the Arts into her service.
Hence have appeared Dr. T.'s Philosophy of Botany, including a New Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnœus, and his Temple of Flora, or Garden of Nature .
The Portrait of Dr. Thornton (by Russell, R. A.) is graced by some elegant Verses, which begin thus:—
The loves of Flora's gaudy train,
'Tis thine to guard from time's decay
The fading glories of her reign.
No change of threatening skies can fear;
Nor dashing rains, nor chilling blasts,
Can reach the lovely fav'rites here.
Of purest Blossoms and unsullied Greens!
A still, small Home, that I may call my own,
My joy, my pride, my palace, and my throne:
With yet a morsel, sav'd by frugal care,
A social morsel for a Friend to share!
Upon a Poet's wish what Muse can frown?
A nook was chosen, and a Cot was made:
Streams, groves, and gardens deck'd the smiling bound—
A Paradise of sweets—on Fairy ground.
To realize the Song and Poet's pride,
A bow'ry nook was given, midst Nature's scenes
Of purest blossoms and unsullied greens.
Small tho' the spot, it prov'd her happiest power;
She saw 'twas good—she lov'd, and bless'd each flower.
Flora now felt it—tho' a Goddess she.
All “out of door” she eyed with fond delight;
For all her fragrant children were in sight:—
Her Pink, her Rose, her Hyacinth were there,
Shedding delicious odours through the air.
She deign'd a visit to the charms within.
The Cot she enter'd;—there beheld her flowers,
Tho' cropt, still breathing all her balmy powers:
Lovely midst thorns her Brier, and Crocus gay,
And many a Woodbine charming in decay.
Bright'ning the walls, she saw a fresh supply:
Her gifts of yesterday began to fade,
But sweets new-pluck'd were blooming in their stead.
“Shall henceforth boast the name of Flora's Cot.
“This Renealmia
Some very beautiful Verses addressed to this Plant will be found amongst the Poetical Contributions of the present volume. The plant comes from Surinam. The charming painting in the Doctor's “Exhibition” is by P. Henderson.
Kindred Affection and impartial Justice unite in urging me to re-publish in this place some Stanzas from one of the sweetest tributes perhaps ever paid to this interesting flower by the Muse of my Sybil, many of whose original effusions will be seen in the course of this volume. The Snow-drop is the 21st of Dr. T.'s Exhibition, by Pether, to whose painting, the verses are affixed. They originally appeared in the “Gleanings,” but have since been transplanted into various Collections.
May the glowing roses choose;
But the Snow-drop's simple beauty
Better suits an humble muse.
Fairest of the fragrant race;
First-born child of vernal Flora,
Seeking mild thy lowly place.
Fan thy leaves with balmy wing,
Pleas'd we hail thee, spotless blossom!
Herald of the infant Spring.
To attract the roving sight!
Nature from her varied wardrobe
Chose thy vest of purest white.
Thy soft form in sweetness grows;
Not more fair the valley's treasure,
Not more sweet her lily blows.
Simply are thy blossoms drest;
Artless as the gentle Virtues
Mansion'd in the blameless breast.
“Display my magic Touch and matchless Hue;
“This tender Sensitive
As a defence, the Aloe bids defiance to all intruders. Its leaves are employed as thatch for houses; and, properly managed, they will separate into fibres which, manufactured, can supply the place of hemp, flax, and cotton. The thorns with which it is armed serve for awls, and are made into brass, pins, and needles. Its juice may be converted into wine by fermentation, or by boiling used as soap. Its stem serves the carpenter, or for fuel; and the honey, which copiously distils from it, cures an asthma.
The Aloe, taken from the one in bloom at Smith's Nursery at Dalston, is the 9th in the Exhibition. By Reinagle, Sen. A. R.
The name of the Sensitive Plant is derived from the curious property, which several sensitive plants possess, of retracting its stem-leaves and branches upon being touched, and closing the leaflets, as also during storms, and at night. This plant is from the mountains of Jamaica, hence the humming-birds of that country. Its natural growth is shown in the back-ground. It is thus exquisitely described by Darwin:—
Weak with nice sense the chaste Mimosa stands,From each rude touch withdraws her timid hands:
Oft, as light clouds o'erpass the summer glade,
Alarm'd she trembles at the moving shade;
And feels, alive through all her tender form,
The whisper'd murmurs of the gathering storm;
Shuts her sweet eyelids to approaching night,
And hails with freshen'd charms the rising light.
Veil'd with gay decency, and modest pride,
Slow to the mosque she moves, an eastern bride;
There her soft vows unceasing love record,
Queen of the bright seraglio of her Lord.
“Cereus
The Night-blowing Cereus is a hot-house plant: begins to blow late in the evening; at twelve at night it is in its perfection; at four in the morning it closes, and is soon after completely withered.
The Persian Cyclamen is thus preserved in immortal bloom in the Botanic Garden:—
The gentle Cyclamen, with dewy eye,Breathes o'er her lifeless babe the parting sigh;
And, bending low to earth, with pious hands
Entombs her dear departed in the sands;
‘Sweet nursling! withering in thy tender hour,
Oh, sleep!’ she cries; ‘and rise a fairer flower.
This beautiful Spring flower is of a delicate white, with a little border of purple about the brim of its pendulous cup; as soon as the seeds become ripe the flower-stalk then twists spirally, and turns more and more towards the earth until it there deposits the seeds.
“Yes, mine are all the lovely train I see,—
“Unrivall'd Flora's beauteous Family.”
Another's Magic on the Walls appear;
Another Flora seem'd to breathe and glow,
Lotus
This is the 37th exhibited in Dr. Thornton's Garden, and finely painted both by the pencil of Henderson and the pen of Darwin.
That on the vast abyss of chaos mov'd ;
What pen shall paint thy charms, majestic flow'r!
By mortals honour'd, and by gods belov'd.
Where Nile's proud stream through gladden'd Egypt pours;
In raptur'd strains thy praise was hymn'd of old ,
And still resounds on Ganges' faithful shores.
Long since th'Immortals plac'd their fond abode;
There, day's bright source, Osiris lov'd to dwell,
While by his side enamour'd Isisglow'd
At dawn's first blush thy radiant petals spread,
Drink deep th'effulgence of the solar stream,
And as he mounts still brighter glories shed:
In a bright deluge burst on Cairo's spires,
With what new lustre then thy beauties blaze,
Full of the god, and radiant with his fires!
Till in the distant west his splendors fade;
Then, too, thy beauty and thy fire decline,
With morn to rise in lovelier charms array'd.
Perpetual transport to the sage supply,
Where Nature, in her secret plans reveal'd,
Awes wondering man, and charms th'exploring eye.
The narrow-leaved Kalmia, so called from the resemblance its fruit bears to an egg, is a native of Italy, where they are eaten. The flower is the same as the potatoe. The peduncle bearing the eggs appears as if broken, but is not so in reality.
This plant is named in honour of Dr. Mead, and is called Dodecatheon, The Twelve Heathen Gods, from the beauty of its flowers. It is also named The American Cowslip, resembling in some degree our English one. It delights in shade, as the Picture would express. The American colours denote the country. It has five stamina, or males; and the anthers are attached to each other.
This beautiful plant (a native of North America) has ten males, placed in notches of the corolla, whence they proceed to make court to the females in the centre, who, like the Meadia, first bows to one and then the other. The flowers appear early, as the snows are melting from the mountains; and in this country the plant requires to be cultivated in a shady situation.
The Goddess gaz'd, and, mad'ning with the smart,
Felt the fierce anguish of a Jealous Heart.
She cried, “to emulate my heavenly Bloom?
“Shall my own offspring thus untimely die,
“And Art's frail progeny thus flourish nigh?
“Shall these erect a Temple of their own,
“And I ascend a poor divided Throne?
“Forbid it Nature!—” Nature rose to view:
To meet whose arms the angry goddess flew;
Then told her tale, then pointed to the flowers
Whereon proud Art had lavish'd all her powers;
Till more indignant, as she more survey'd
The imitation nice of light and shade,
Th'unfolding leaf, the soft bud newly burst,—
A second Flora vieing with the first,—
“Theft!” she exclaim'd, “'tis theft—these must be mine.
“Plunder'd, O Nature! from my holy shrine:
“I, only I, can give that kindling glow.”
“Beauties derived from us, yet not by guile;
“But fond delight, and laudable desire
“To paint the Charms and Graces we inspire,
“Demand our praise—'tis incense at our shrine
“And Art but proves our Empire more divine.
“Art's noblest effort but exalts our Fame;
“Different the Fanes, the Goddess is the same:
“To us e'en heaven-born Genius bends the knee!”
Here Flora smil'd, and all was Harmony.
These works are now publishing, dedicated, by permission, to Her Majesty. The Collection of Paintings in the Doctor's Exhibition was for the embellishment, or illustration, of these works.
The Lotus being productive of itself, and vegetating from its own matrix, or seed-vessel, without being fostered in the carth, was naturally adopted as the symbol of the productive power of the waters, upon which the active spirit of the Creator operated in giving life and vegetation to matter.
Paganism at first arose from gratitude; and the adoration of this flower, as will be presently shown, proceeded from this cause.
When Sir William Jones was at dinner, on the borders of the Ganges, some of his people, at his desire, brought him the Lotus, when all his Indian attendants immediately fell on their faces, and paid adoration to this plant.
The flower of the Nymphæa Lotus, or Egyptian Lotus, is bell-shaped, somewhat resembling our Water Lily, and its numerous petals are of a dazzling white; when it expands it emits a most agreeable odour.
The sun and moon, whence so many advantages were derived, were among the first objects of worship throughout the Eastern world; and these were personified under the attributes and names of Osiris and Isis. As they were imaginary beings, fancy gave them all kinds of shapes and sizes; and you will the less wonder at superstition making them sometimes enjoy themselves riding on the waters, blown about by the Zephyrs, in a stately flower, when Anacreon describes Cupid alike diminutive:
To cull a wreath of matin flowers,
Where many an early rose was weeping,
In one I found the urchin sleeping:
I caught the boy, a goblet's tide
Was richly mantling by my side;
I caught him by his downy wing,
And whelm'd him in the racy spring,
Oh! then I drank the poison'd bowl,
And Love now nestles in my soul:
Yes, yes, my soul is Cupid's nest,
I feel him fluttering in my breast.
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