 
This is one of the plants which Shakespeare borrowed from the classical writers; it is not the Laurel of our day, which was not introduced till after his death, "The Laurel meed of mightie conquerors And poet's sage,"—Spenser; that is, the Bay. This is the tree mentioned by Gower— "This Daphne into a Lorer tre Was turned, whiche is ever grene, In token, as yet it may be sene, That she shalle dwelle a maiden stille." There can be little doubt that the Laurel of Chaucer also was the Bay, the— "Fresh grene Laurer tree That gave so passing a delicious smelle According to the Eglantere ful welle." He also spoke of it as the emblem of enduring freshness— "Myn herte and al my lymes be as grene As Laurer, through the yeer is for to seene." The Laurel in Lyte's "Herbal" (the Lauriel or Lourye) seems to be the Daphne Laureola. But unconsciously Chaucer and Shakespeare spoke with more botanical accuracy than we do, the Bay being a true Laurel, while the Laurel is a Cherry (see Bay). FOOTNOTES: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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