3-053-646 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

A rose show at the Horticultural Society's Gardens, South Kensington, [London], 1873. The Shah of Persia might have enjoyed '...one of the grand flower shows of the Royal Horticultural Society, in their gardens at South Kensington. He would there have admired, as everywhere he must have done, both the English roses and the English ladies, displayed to the very best advantage in our honest English daylight. Roses and ladies are the incessant themes of Persian lyric poetry; and, supposing the Shah to be a reader of Hafiz, he could have quoted some pretty verses, upon this occasion, for the ear of a Princess or Duchess, while strolling under the cool marquee, where those blooming beauties were collected for the public gratification. But the Shah was not there, and so lost his chance. Our Artist was there one day, as the Engraving proves, since he made use of his opportunity to do a Sketch for the adornment of a page in this Number'. From "Illustrated London News", 1873.