The feeling which inspired this identification of flowers and herbs with holy personages and festivals is gracefully expressed by a Franciscan in the following passage:--“Mindful of the Festivals which our Church prescribes, I have sought to make these objects of floral nature the timepieces of my religious calendar, and the mementos of the hastening period of my mortality. Thus I can light the taper to our Virgin Mother on the blowing of the white Snowdrop, which opens its flower at the time of Candlemas; the Lady’s Smock and the Daffodil remind me of the Annunciation; the blue Harebell, of the Festival of St. George; the Ranunculus, of the Invention of the Cross; the Scarlet Lychnis, of St. John the Baptist’s day; the white Lily, of the Visitation of our Lady; and the Virgin’s Bower, of the Assumption; and Michaelmas, Martinmas, Holy Rood, and Christmas have all their appropriate decorations.” In later times we find the Church’s Calendar of English flowers embodied in the following lines:-- “The Snowdrop, in purest white arraie, First rears her hedde on Candlemass daie: While the Crocus hastens to the shrine Of Primrose lone on S. Valentine. Then comes the Daffodil beside Our Ladye’s Smock at our Ladye tide, Aboute S. George, when blue is worn, The blue Harebells the fields adorn; Against the daie of the Holie Cross, The Crowfoot gilds the flowrie grasse. When S. Barnabie bright smiles night and daie, Poor Ragged Robbin blooms in the hay. The scarlet Lychnis, the garden’s pride, Flames at S. John the Baptist’s tide; From Visitation to S. Swithen’s showers, The Lillie white reigns queen of the floures And Poppies a sanguine mantle spread, For the blood of the dragon S. Margaret shed, Then under the wanton Rose agen, That blushes for penitent Magdalen, Till Lammas Daie, called August’s Wheel, When the long Corn smells of Cammomile. When Marie left us here belowe, The Virgin’s Bower is full in blowe; And yet anon the full Sunflower blew, And became a starre for S. Bartholomew. The Passion-flower long has blowed, To betoken us signs of the holie rood: The Michaelmass Dasie among dede weeds, Blooms for S. Michael’s valorous deeds, And seems the last of the floures that stood, Till the feste of S. Simon and S. Jude; Save Mushrooms and the Fungus race, That grow till All Hallowtide takes place. Soon the evergreen Laurel alone is green, When Catherine crownes all learned menne; Then Ivy and Holly berries are seen, And Yule clog and wassail come round agen.” _Anthol. Bor. et Aus._