habit of one variety causes it to look as though it had a special sympathy with sorrow. Love-lorn Ophelia met her end in an endeavour to place a garland of nettles and what-not on the boughs of a willow that grew aslant a brook.[1] Another reference, Drayton has, to what his friend Spencer[2] spoke of as
"The willow worne of forlone paramours,"
in what seems to me to be an interesting passage on the plants appropriate for chaplets[3]—
"The garland long ago was worn,
As time pleased to bestow it,
The laurel only to adorn
The conqueror and the poet.
The palm his due who uncontroul'd
On danger looking gravely,
When fate had done the worst it could,
Who bore his fortunes bravely.
Most worthy of the oaken- wreath
The ancients him esteemed,
Who in a battle had from death,
Some man of worth redeemed.
About his temples grass they tie
Himself that so behaved,
In some strong siege by th' enemy,
A city that hath saved.
A wreath of vervain heralds wear,
Amongst our garlands named,
Being sent that dreadful news to bear,
Offensive war proclaimed.
The sign of peace who first displays,
The olive wreath possesses:
The lover with the myrtle sprays
Adorns his crisped tresses.
In love the sad forsaken wight
The willow garland weareth:
The funeral man, befitting night,
The baleful cypress beareth.
To Pan we dedicate the pine,
Whose slips the shepherd graceth:
Again the ivy and the vine
On his swol'n Bacchus placeth."
