A FLORAL FANTASY IN AN OLD ENGLISH GARDEN
BY WALTER CRANE
NEW YORK & LONDON HARPER AND BROTHERS
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A FLORAL FANTASY IN AN OLD ENGLISH GARDEN
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SET FORTH IN VERSES & COLOURED DESIGNS BY WALTER CRANE
LONDON: AT THE HOUSE OF HARPER AND BROTHERS: 1899
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THE OLD ENGLISH GARDEN
A FLORAL PHANTASY
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In an old world garden dreaming, Where the flowers had human names, Methought, in fantastic seeming, They disported as squires and dames.
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Of old in Rosamond's Bower, With it's peacock hedges of yew, One could never find the flower Unless one was given the clue; So take the key of the wicket, Who would follow my fancy free, By formal knot and clipt thicket, And smooth greensward so fair to see
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And while Time his scythe is whetting, Ere the dew from the grass has gone,
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The Four Seasons' flight forgetting, As they dance round the dial stone;
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With a leaf from an old English book, A Jonquil will serve for a pen.
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Let us note from the green arbour's nook, Flowers masking like women and men.
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FIRST in VENUS'S LOOKING GLASS, You may see where LOVE LIES BLEEDING,
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While PRETTY MAIDS all of them pass With careless hearts quite unheeding.
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Next, a knight with his flaming targe See the DENT-DE-LION so bold With his feathery crest at large, On a field of the cloth of gold.
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Simple honesty shows in vain A fashion few seek to robe in, While the poor SHEPHERD'S-PURSE is ta'en By rascally RAGGED-ROBIN.
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COLTSFOOT and LARKSPUR
SPEEDWELL
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In the race of the flowers that's run due,
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As the HARTSTONGUE pants at the well
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