THE TULIP AND LILY. James Barclay Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T116245 1136 K093079.003 Pearch, G. A collection of poems in four volumes. By several hands. Vol. III. [The second edition]. London printed for G. Pearch 1770 pp. 171-175. 4v. ; 8⁰.

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THE TULIP AND LILY . BY MR. B—Y . HIGH o'er the bed , conspicuous seen , A Tulip rose , the garden's queen . Never on Holland's foggy strand Was taller rear'd by Dutchman's hand : Never was Flora known t' imprint On Tulip's leaf a brighter tint , Or lead with more fantastic freak , On Tulip's leaf the varying streak . Beneath the tow'ring Tulip's shade , In nought but simple white array'd , And shelter'd from th' intruding view , A Lily of the valley grew ; The humblest plant of all the train That deck the mountain or the plain , Or on the river's margin blow , And paint the dancing scene below . Unenvying she the praise could hear Of finer flow'rs that flaunted near : And she could see without a sigh The saucy Zephyr pass her by , To woo the Pink , more gayly drest , Or pant upon the Rose's breast . It chanc'd upon a May-day morn , When blossoms crowd the whitening thorn , With more than usual lustre bright , The genial God of heat and light , Thro' the blue heavens pursu'd his course , And shone with more than Summer force . Each flow'r that glow'd in bright array Witness'd the life-imparting day : The Tulip too , above the rest , The vig'rous warmth with joy confest . What transport in her bosom swell'd , Each varying streak when she beheld Withdraw from the pursuing eye , And shift into the neighb'ring dye ! The Lily's charms , and humbler state , She view'd with boundless joy elate ; And thus unable to refrain , Broke out in contumelious strain : " How vary , midst the garden's race , " The marks of bounteous Nature's grace ! " How boasts th' imperial Tulip's flow'r " The effort of her vig'rous pow'r ! " Who e'er could view without surprise , " Th' expanded leaf , and glossy dyes ! " The colours that together run , " And wave and brighten in the sun ! " Whilst she that blossoms in my shade , " As tho' to spring from earth afraid , " No leaf expands , nor dye displays , " Nor wins surprise , nor merits praise . " Behold yon butterfly so sine , " Whose brightness almost equals mine , " That hovers o'er the gay parterre , " And hangs on wav'ring wings in air ; " What tho' from flow'r to flow'r he sport , " And pay to all a passing court ; " In vain with deepen'd tints they glow , " And fletter to the flutt'ring bean , " In vain each envious rival burns , " To kindred finery still he turns , " On me at length delights to rest , " And spread his plumage o'er my breast . " To these proud taunts , and more beside , The Lily not a word replied , But hung her head with modest grace , Nor look'd th' insulter in the face . Not so the Bee , who murmur'd near , And chanc'd th' opprobrious strain to hear . Ill-pleas'd to see the flow'r neglected , Which she so honour'd and respected ! From whose full cup she daily drew So large a share of precious dew ; Whilst from her high and mighty neighbour She scarcely got what paid her labour ; Thus , settled on the Lily's breast , Her indignation she exprest : " And whence proceeds the haughty strain , " Thou flow'r , so useless , and so vain ! " Forget you , then , from whence you sprung , " The tawdry child of sordid dung ! " What tho' in varying colours bright , " You glare awhile upon the sight ; " The transient hour of blooming o'er , " Your faded charms attract no more , " And all your finery quite forgot : " Unmarkt you wither , and you rot . " Now hither turn but your reflection , " You'll kiss the rod of my correction . " This flow'r , on whom so rude you prest , " In Nature's simplest cloathing drest , " From her our num'rous tribes derive " The choicest sweets that store the hive : " And she , meek daughter of the vale , " That growing scents the passing gale , " Not less revives the ravish'd sense , " When rooted and remov'd from hence . " On Chloe's breast still seen to blow , " Adds whiteness to the dazzling snow : " And dealing sweetness , tho' in death , " Perfumes e'en Chloe's fragrant breath . "