Enothera biennis. Evening Primrose. Leaves egg-spear-shaped, flat. Stem covered with sharp points and soft hairs. Stamens regular. Petals undivided. This plant has been discovered in such ruinous and littlefrequented parts of the kingdom, that we can no longer hesitate to introduce it as British. It attains the height of five or six feet. The main stem and larger branches are every where beset with minute asperities, terminating in fine transparent hairs, feeling not unlike a rough file. Leaves rather waved than flat. Blossoms fragrant, large, and yellow, expanding in the evening. B. JulySept.-Withering. THE EVENING PRIMROSE. LANGHORNE. THERE are that love the shades of life, And shun the splendid walks of fame; There are that hold it rueful strife That, far from Envy's lurid eye, The fairest fruits of genius rear, In friendship's small but kindly sphere. Than vainer flowers, though sweeter far, In Eden's vale an aged hind, At the dim twilight's closing hour, On his time-smoothed staff reclined, With wonder viewed the opening flower. "Ill-fated flower, at eve to blow; "Nor thee the vagrants of the field, The hamlet's little train behold; Their eyes to sweet oppression yield, When thine the falling shades unfold. "Nor thee the hasty shepherd heeds, When love has fill'd his heart with cares: For flowers he rifles all the meads; For waking flowers; but thine forbears. "Ah! waste no more that beauteous bloom, On night's chill shade that fragrant breath; Let smiling suns those gems illume! Fair flower! to live unseen is death!" Soft as the voice of vernal gales That o'er the bending meadows blow; Or streams that steal through even vales, And murmur that they move so slow : Deep in her unfrequented bower, And answered thus the anxious swain : "Live unseen! By moonlight shades, in valleys green, Still I love the modest mien Of gentle evening fair, and her star-trained queen. "Didst thou, shepherd, never find Pleasure is of pensive kind? Has thy cottage never known, Love to think thy lot was laid In this undistinguished shade. Far from the world's infectious view Thy little virtues safely blew. Go, and in day's more dangerous hour |