John Huddlestone Wynne

“ Deck’d with her wreath of never-fading flow’rs,
Diffusing odours o’er the smiling plain.
XXXIV.
Next Summer came; his cheeks with ardour fir’d,
With his own blushing fruits and harvests crown’d;
Before whose face the infant Spring retir’d,
And with her roses strew’d the russet ground. [Pg 12]
XXXV.
Stain’d with the grape’s press’d juice, with steadier pace,
Still looking backward on preceding time,
Ripe Autumn next succeeded in his place;
Scatt’ring rich fruits, the growth of ev’ry clime.
XXXVI.
Last Winter comes, with heavy step and flow,
A hoary captive bound in icy chains ”

“ LXV.
These, therefore, we prefer; and though no Queen
Besides Ourselves we will to hold the reign;
Yet, for their true desart conspicuous seen,
We rank them foremost on the flow’ry plain.
LXVI.
Hear, and obey; and if aught else abide,
To raise dispute among your orders bright;
Still by true merit let the cause be try’d,
And specious shew yield to more solid right.” [Pg 20]
LXVII.
She spoke;—the Seasons, and the winged Hours,
Confirm’d her voice; then breath’d a rich perfume,
Which Zephyr scatter’d wide o’er all the flow’rs,
And deck’d their leaves with more than mortal bloom. ”

“ PREFACE. When I survey the divine simplicity and blooming attractions, that are displayed amongst the variegated tribes of the vegetable creation, I cease to wonder, that Queens forego, for a while, the compliments of a nation, or withdraw from the glitter of a court, to be attended with the more splendid equipage of a bed of flowers; where nothing seems wanting but the power of speech, to make them become the most pleasing Monitors. ”

“ How far the Author of the following Fables, written for the amusement of an exalted Personage, may have succeeded, in descriptive fancy, as a poet: it is hoped, that, the moral and refined admonitions which may be found to breathe, from the fragrant bosom of a silver-robed Lily, or a blooming Jonquil, will throw a veil over any poetical inaccuracies; for who can paint like Nature? ”

“ Which deems no worth is found,
But in the narrow sphere confin’d
Of its own native ground.
V.
Though not to foreign lands, untaught,
We need for Virtue roam;
Yet real Virtue, nurs’d abroad,
Should be rever’d at home.—
VI.
On fair Ierne’s happy shore
A tall Arbutus plac’d,
Bloom’d near a sweetly-cultur’d spot,
By Pinks unnumber’d grac’d,
VII.
’Twas on the border of that lake [24] ,
Where vary’d prospects rise,
Of sunny hills, o’er-hanging rocks,
And low’ring misty skies; [Pg 149]
VIII.
Selina, wand’ring near the Lake,
The foreign tree survey’d;
“And bloom’st thou ’midst our native Flow’rs?” ”

“ Nature’s great book before thee set:
“She blames thee not to scan
“Her works on every side display’d,
“The fit employ of man.
VII.
“When Spring and Summer glad the earth,
“Ten thousand beauties bloom;
“And various flow’rs of brightest hue,
“Diffuse a rich perfume. ”

“ XVIII.
And know, whoe’er by vain pretence
Shall others seek to blind;
Must stand abash’d, when brought before
The mirrour of the mind.
Fab. XV.
The Larkspur & Myrtle
Fab. XVI.
The Poppy & Sun-Flower
[Pg 97]
FABLE XV.
The LARKSPUR and the MYRTLE.
I.
FAV’RITE of Mars, amidst the tribes
That on bright Flora wait,
And swell the glories of her reign
With more than regal state;
II.
The Larkspur, plant of ancient stock,
Advanc’d his ensign high;
And claim’d th’ immortal wreath of fame,
Due to a Deity.
III.
Like some bold warrior’s is his mien;
Helmet and spurs he wears ”

“ The Editor of the British Magazine for the Month of April last observes, that “the Language of the above ingenious Performance is easy; the Allegories well chosen; the Instruction useful and important; and the Whole, properly calculated to make a deep and lasting Impression on the soft and ductile Minds of Youth.——At the same Time, that many of maturer Age may read it with Pleasure and Profit.” ”

“ To rank among the flow’rs;
“From Heav’n I draw my high descent,
“And bloom’d in Eden’s bow’rs. [Pg 85]
XVI.
“And still eternal is my race,
“No frail decay I know;
“But, emblem of the first great Spring,
“For ever bloom below.
XVII.
“But thou! the pageant of an hour,
“Too quickly shalt deplore
“Those beauties with’ring all away,
“Which fade, to charm no more.
XVIII.
“Thou, wretch! no second Spring shalt see,
“To renovate thy bloom;
“Whilst I survive the stroke of fate,
“And triumph o’er the tomb. ”

“ All claim’d preferment, and each one could boast
Of some bright beauty or perfection dear,
Which should induce mankind to prize her most,
And to preferment make her title clear.
XLII.
And some, of empty shew and titles vain;
Alas! that Pride so many should deceive!
Claim’d o’er their kindred plants and flow’rs to reign:
And of their birthright others would bereave. [Pg 14]
XLIII.
The Crown Imperial, and the spurious Flow’r
Which boasts of royal arms and royal mien [3] ;
The warlike Plant that claims immortal pow’r [4] ,
And that gay lady call’d the Meadow’s Queen. ”

“ Juno is said to have conceived Mars by only touching the flower called Larkspur.
[18] Apollo having forsaken Clytie for this Nymph; the former, in return, informed Leucothoe’s father of his daughter’s amour with Phœbus. He thereupon buried Leucothoe alive; but Phœbus changed her into a Frankincense Tree; and after this, Clytie being discarded by the God, who was beyond measure offended with her, she pined away, and was changed into a Sun-Flower.
[19] Iris being the name given to the Rainbow.
[20] A Volcano in the North, whose sides are covered with snow. ”

“ What if the tall Arbutus share
“Th’ indulgence of thy land;
“Do not his sweetly fragrant flow’rs
“As fair a lot demand?
XIII.
“Nor let Ierne’s children grieve,
“Where foreign worth is shown;
“But learn with cultivating care
“To make that worth their own.
XIV.
“For thee, fair maid—the patriot flame
“Still nourish in thy breast:
“But let that flame by Reason’s rules
“Be modell’d and repress’d.
XV.
“Know that thy country’s weal depends
“Not on herself alone;
“But each assisting hand that strives
“To fix fair Freedom’s throne. ”

“ To a more speedy, plain, and familiar method of understanding the whole art of confectionary, pastry, distilling, and the making of fine-flavoured English wines from all kinds of fruits, herbs, and flowers; comprehending near five hundred easy and practical receipts, never before made known: particularly,
Also new and easy directions for clarifying the different degrees of sugar, together with several bills of fare of deserts for private gentlemens families. ”

“ II.
“Hail! Goddess-born! hail! thou produc’d
“From the bright mingled flood
“Of Venus’ tears, as bards have sung,
“And her Adonis’ blood.
III.
“Rich are thy blossoms in each hue
“That can inchant the fight;
“And strike at once the ravish’d eye
“With wonder and delight. [Pg 65]
IV.
“Hail! sacred Plant, born but to shew
“Adonis’ yearly wound;
“By gentle Venus taught to bloom,
“With heav’nly beauties crown’d.”
V.
I said; when lo; an awful form
Upon my orgies broke;
And, like some bright cœlestial pow’r,
In lofty accents spoke:
VI.
“Hence, thou profane ”

“ The Cock’s Comb being a gaudy Flower, without any agreeable smell to recommend it.
[28] The Goddess of Health.
[29] On the banks of the river Hypanis, there is a sort of insect, whose life is said only to extend from the rising to the setting of the sun. ”

“ Can match those richer gifts of heav’n,
“Which fair Britannia bless.
XIII.
“Peace, Freedom, Wealth from farthest shores,
“By golden commerce brought;
“All these are hers, and ev’ry good,
“By happiest nations sought.
XIV.
“Nor this alone; here Genius blooms,
“A Flow’r excelling mine.
“Nor asks a whole revolving age,
“In glories to refine.
XV.
“Here too the Fair, with beauty bright,
“The hearts of heroes warm;
“Those human blossoms genial blow,
“And put forth ev’ry charm. ”

“ The Lake of Killarney, most romantically situated in the county of Kerry, in Ireland, where the Arbutus tree is found, which bears a most beautiful blossom, and a fruit sometimes used for food, and which is supposed to have been transplanted thither from Italy. ”

“ When radiant Phœbus shone
On both alike with chearing ray,
She envious thus begun: [Pg 114]
IV.
“Had I the Wall-flow’r’s fragrant scent,
“Would I alone thus bloom;
“On yonder peak obscurely dwell,
“And waste my rich perfume!
V.
“For shame, yield to inferior flow’rs
“That strange and uncouth place;
“Nor, like some noxious worthless weed,
“Nurse there thy beauteous race.
VI.
“Besides, I claim the humbler boon,
“Against this fence to blow;
“While thee the more indulgent Heav’n
“May safely place below.”
VII.
She spoke;—the Wall-flow’r thus reply’d,
“Ambition is not mine ”

“ Advis’d him other flow’rs to seek,
Nor on her spot intrude. [Pg 167]
VIII.
“And how can I for thee (she said)
“My happier pow’rs display,
“Or with my lasting flow’r support
“The insect of a day?
IX.
“Sure Nature form’d thy race in sport,
“Continual to destroy;
“Nor ever meant thy race to taste
“One pure, substantial joy.”
X.
“Not so,” the wiser Insect cry’d,
“My high descent I claim
“From Phœbus’ self—you cannot more,
“Nor wish a higher name.
XI.
“What if to me a shorter date
“By Nature’s law is giv’n;
“Each moment that I live, t’ enjoy,
“Is all I ask of Heav’n. ”

“ XVI.
“Commerce and Stores from other lands
“Your glories still increase;
“Encourage then the golden stream,
“And ev’ry art of peace.
XVII.
“Nor foreign Flow’rs, nor foreign Plants,
“Deny a fost’ring place;
“When those fair Plants or blooming Flow’rs
“Bring Profit, Sweet, or Grace.
XVIII.
“Reject alone the idle weed,
“That blooms but to destroy;
“To cultivate the rest with care
“Your utmost skill employ.”
XIX.
He ceas’d;—the Nymph her task forsook,
And still together bloom
The beautous Tree, and fragrant Flow’rs,
Whence Zephyrs steal perfume. ”

“ VII.
“Ah hapless lot! while others bloom
“On yonder happy shore,
“Amongst their kindred tribes—my fate
“Here lonely I deplore. [Pg 135]
VIII.
“Condemn’d amid this watry waste
“For ever to remain;
“Nor taste the joys which others know
“On yonder flow’ry plain.”
IX.
The Goddess of the Water heard,
And Anger mov’d her heart;
“How dar’st thou thus affront (she said)
“The Pow’r by which thou ART?
X.
“Those other trees and flow’rs thou see’st,
“All sprang from Mother Earth:
“And grateful tribute ALL return
“To Her who gave them birth. ”

“ This River is bordered with Roses of as fine a bloom as those which grow in our gardens.
[23] The juice of this weed was generally supposed to be used in Enchantments—There are however several sorts of it, all of which are not esteemed deadly; but only this mentioned here, the juice of whose berries so intoxicated the army of Sweno the Danish King, being mixed in their liquor, that they became an easy prey to the Scotch army, which surprised and cut most of them to pieces. ”

“ Each warlike blazon bears. [Pg 98]
IV.
Proud of his form, and of the [17] Pow’r
That from his contact sprung;
Exalted above all his peers,
Thus Pride inspir’d his tongue:
V.
“Ye painted, puling race, avaunt!
“To greater merit yield;
“Forego the honours of the day,
“When I dispute the field.
VI.
“Far hence your tinsel trappings bear
“To some luxuriant bed,
“Where, nurs’d by Zephyr’s wanton gales,
“Their idle bloom may spread!
VII.
“In me behold the warrior’s grace,
“And monarch’s pow’r display’d;
“In me, to Heav’n itself ally’d,
“In martial pomp array’d. ”

“ Despise my solitary flow’rs,
“And live the slaves of show.
XVI.
“But know, high Heav’n in desart wastes
“Can bid rich Spring to bloom;
“And waken Nature into life,
“From Winter’s dreary tomb.
XVII.
“The gracious Pow’r who rules on high,
“Bids all his blessings share;
“And ev’ry creature of his hand
“Is govern’d by his care. ”

“ Leucothoe [18] speaks thy crime;
“Whose odours still to Heav’n ascend,
“And shall to latest time.
XIII.
“Not Love, but Pity, mov’d high Heav’n
“To make thee what thou art;
“And place amidst the blooming flow’rs
“A Nymph with broken heart.
XIV.
“Cease then to vaunt thy heav’nly love,
“Nor me so much despise;
“Full plain th’ advantages appear,
“Which from my pow’r arise. [Pg 106]
XV.
“Me Ceres hates not; but my seed
“Great Nature near her sows;
“Where, far unlike a noxious weed,
“The beauteous flow’ret blows.
XVI.
“Sleep, gentle God, the ease of grief,
“To weary man I bring ”

“ VIII.
“But here may ev’ry healing flow’r
“In prime of beauty bloom:
“To sick’ning Man restoring health,
“And shedding rich perfume!”
IX.
I ceas’d—The Flow’r indignant heard;
And all its leaves display’d
A deep’ning gloom, which flung around
A double night of shade.
X.
“Insulting Man!” she trembling cry’d,
“Of creatures most unjust;
“Still taxing Nature with those faults,
“Sprung from his evil lust. [Pg 127]
XI.
“The poison’d Snake, the noxious Weed,
“Earth’s venom’d juices drain;
“And, more than all yon’ fragrant flow’rs,
“Enrich with health the plain. ”