4410472Flora's Lexicon — BalsamCatharine Harbeson Waterman

AALSAM. Impatiens. Class 5, Pentandria. Order: Monogynia. This plant, which is one of the most beautiful and delicate of popular annuals, is a native of East India, and forms a showy cone of carnation-like flowers finely variegated. It possesses the peculiar property of retaining, during the hottest months of summer, all its freshness and beauty, while many other plants are withered before they have flowered. It has been named Nolitangere and Impatiens, from the curious fact that when the seeds are ripe, they are thrown with considerable force out of the capsules on their being slightly touched; on this account it has been made the emblem of impatience, The Turks use it to represent ardent love.

IMPATIENCE.

Oh! for thy wings, thou dove!
Now sailing by with sunshine on thy breast;
That, borne like thee above,
I too might flee away, and be at rest!

Oh! to some cool recess
Take, take me with thee on the summer wind!
Leaving the weariness,
And all the fever of this life behind.

The aching and the void
Within the heart whereunto none reply,
The early hopes destroyed——
Bird! bear me with thee thro’ the sunny sky.

Hermans
Send quick, and summon in the council
To see the crown imposed! Bianca dies!
My throne hangs on your speed! Fly!

N. P. Wits.