The leaves are nearly round, and have a pleasing silvery hue: a few of them only, and those chiefly at the extremities of the young shoots, are of the form described by LINNAEUS in his specific character of the plant, and hence COMMELIN'S description (_vid. Syn._) is to be preferred, as leading us with more certainty to a knowledge of the plant; the colour of the leaves, the colour and unusual magnitude of the blossoms, are indisputably the most striking features of the species, and therefore to be resorted to: for my own part, as a friend to the advancement of the science, rather than as the follower of that great man, I see no good reason why colour should not in many instances, especially where expressive characters are wanting, form a part of the specific character in plants, as well as in animals: we are told indeed of its inconstancy. I would ask--who ever saw the colour of the leaves or blossoms of the present plant to vary? and, on the contrary, who ever saw its leaves constant in their form? The _Salvia aurea_ is a native of the Cape, and was cultivated by Mr. MILLER in 1731, it is a hardy greenhouse plant, is readily propagated by cuttings, and flowers from May to November. If suffered to grow, it will become a shrub of the height of six or seven feet. [Illustration] [183] SYRINGA VULGARIS. COMMON LILAC. _Class and Order._ DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. _Generic Character._ _Cor._ 4-fida. _Capsula_ bilocularis. _Specific Character and Synonyms._ SYRINGA _vulgaris_ foliis ovato-cordatis integris. _Linn. Syst. Veget. ed. 14. Murr. p. 57._ _Ait. Hort. Kew. V. 1. p. 15._ SYRINGA caerulea, _Bauh. Pin. 398._ LILAC sive Syringa caerulea. The blew Pipe tree. _Park. Parad. p. 407._ Few shrubs are better known in this country than the Lilac few more universally cultivated; there is scarcely a cottage it does not enliven, or a shrubbery it does not beautify. It has long had a place in our gardens; both GERARD and PARKINSON describe two sorts, the blue and the white; to these another sort is added by more modern writers, superior in beauty to the original, as producing larger bunches of flowers, of a brighter hue, having more of the purple tint and hence called by some the purple Lilac, MILLER considers the three as different species. The flowers of the Lilac possess a considerable degree of fragrance, but not of the most agreeable kind; our readers perhaps, will not be displeased to hear the opinion of old GERARD on this point, delivered in his own words:--"They have a pleasant sweete smell, but in my judgement they are too sweete, troubling and molesting the head in very strange manner: I once gathered the flowers, and laid them in my chamber window, which smelled more strongly after they had lien together a few howers, with such a ponticke and unacquainted savor, that they awaked me from sleepe, so that I could not take any rest until I had cast them out of my chamber."[1]