CHAPTER TWO

Under a mantle of frost-work and snow, Close by the arc of the fairy-queen's ring, Sleeping in delicate grottoes of ice, Cl.u.s.ters of violets dream of the spring.

--D. CHAUNCEY BREWER.

That strain again! It had a dying fall: Oh! it came o'er my ear like the sweet south, That breathes upon a bank of violets Stealing and giving odor.

--WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

Slow rose the silken-fringed lids, and eyes Like violets wet with dew drank in the light.

--GRACE GREENWOOD.

The careful little violet, She makes me think of you, Holding her leafy petticoats From out the morning dew.

--ALICE CARY.

The violet breathes, by our door, as sweetly As in the air of her native East.

--WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

When the earliest violets ope On the sunniest southern slope, When the air is sweet and keen Ere the full-blown flower is seen, When that blithe, forerunning air Breathes more hope than thou canst bear, Thou, oh buried, broken heart, Into quivering life shalt start.

--EDITH M. THOMAS.

The wind-flowers and the violets were still too sound asleep, Under the snow's warm blanket, close folded, soft and deep.

--CELIA THAXTER.

Beautiful maid, discreet, Where is the mate that is meet, Meet for thee--strive as he could-- Yet will I kneel at thy feet, Fearing another one should, Violet!

--COSMO MONKHOUSE.

Violets, shy violets, How many hearts with thee compare, Who hide themselves in thickest green, And thence unseen Ravish the enraptured air With sweetness, dewy, fresh and fair!

--ANONYMOUS.

I think the very violets Are looking the way you'll come!

--ALICE CARY.

Once, long ago, in summer's glow, We threaded, you and I, A garden's maze of pleasant ways, Whose beauty charmed the eye,-- Where violets bent in sweet content And pinks stood proud and high.

--ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN.

Then, feeble man, be wise, tak tent How industry can fetch content.

Behold the bees where'er they wing, Or through the bonny bowers o' spring, Where violets or roses blaw, An' siller dew-draps nightly fa'.

--ROBERT FERGUSON.

In her hair the sunbeams nest, And in her eyes the violets blow, While in the summer of her breast The songbird thoughts flit to and fro.

--ETHEL M. KELLEY.

Violets steeped in dreamy odors, Humble as the Mother mild, Blue as were her eyes when watching O'er her sleeping child.

--ADELAIDE PROCTOR.

O Mother Nature, kind to every child Blessed with the gift of speech, the gift of grace, Teach thou the modest violet, shy and wild, To look with trustfulness into my face.

--ISAAC B. CHOATE.

In Farsistan the violet spreads Its leaves to the rival sky.

--RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

My love, whose lips are softer far Than drowsy poppy petals are, And sweeter than the violet.

--ANDREW LANG.

From wintry days blue violets shrink From wintry lives blue eyes will turn.

--HARRISON ROBERTSON.

Her eyes be like the violets Ablow in Sudbury lane; When she doth smile, her face is sweet As blossoms after rain.

--LIZETTE WOODWORTH REESE.

Through jocund reel, or measured tread Of stately minuet, Like fairy vision shone the bloom Of rose and violet, As, hand in hand with Washington, The hero of the day, The smiling face and nymph-like grace Of Nancy led the way.

--ZITELLA c.o.c.kE.

You violets that first appear, By your pure purple mantles known Like the proud virgins of the year, As if the spring were all your own,-- What are you when the Rose is blown?

--SIR HENRY WOTTON.

Rock-gnawing lichens that forerun the feet Of violets.

--JOHN T. TROWBRIDGE.

True Brahmin, in the meadows wet, Expound the Vedas of the violet!

--RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

Soon again shall music swell the breeze; Soon, issuing forth, shall glitter through the trees Vestures of nuptial white; and hymns be sung And violets scattered round; and old and young In every cottage porch with garlands green, Stand still to gaze, and gazing, bless the scene; While, her dark eyes declining, by his side, Moves in her virgin veil the gentle bride.

--SAMUEL ROGERS.