To
a
LADY
,
With
some
painted
FLOWERS
.
—
tibi
lilia
plenis
Ecce
ferunt
nymphae
calathis
.
VIRGIL
.
FLOWERS
to
the
fair
:
To
you
these
flowers
I
bring
,
And
strive
to
greet
you
with
an
earlier
spring
.
Flowers
sweet
,
and
gay
,
and
delicate
like
you
;
Emblems
of
innocence
,
and
beauty
too
.
With
flowers
the
Graces
bind
their
yellow
hair
,
And
flowery
wreaths
consenting
lovers
wear
.
Flowers
,
the
sole
luxury
which
nature
knew
,
In
Eden's
pure
and
guiltless
garden
grew
.
To
loftier
forms
are
rougher
tasks
assign'd
;
The
sheltering
oak
resists
the
stormy
wind
,
The
tougher
yew
repels
invading
foes
,
And
the
tall
pine
for
future
navies
grows
;
But
this
soft
family
,
to
cares
unknown
,
Were
born
for
pleasure
and
delight
alone
.
Gay
without
toil
,
and
lovely
without
art
,
They
spring
to
cheer
the
sense
,
and
glad
the
heart
.
Nor
blush
,
my
fair
,
to
own
you
copy
these
;
Your
best
,
your
sweetest
empire
is
—
to
please
.