7

/'

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS.

LONDO?f
R.

CLAY SOXS,

AN'IJ

TAYLOK, PRINTEKS,

B!^EAD STREET HILL.

A
-o

V-

^-

/^^"'^^

Till'

llnsr

Thr

.\lvrllr

Thr Ivv

"^^^
THE

LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS;
OR,

FLORAL EMBLEMS
THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND SENTIMENTS.

"

How

oft

doth an emblem-bud silently

tell

What language

could never speak half so well

!"

Romance of Nature.

BY

ROBERT TYAS,

M.A., LL.D., F.R.B.S.,

ETC.

AUTHOR OF "favourite FIELD FLOWERS;" "FLOWERS FROM THE HOLY LAND,"

^itlj

t^torlb

Colounir Qproups of jFIcbrvs.

LONDON GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND

NEW YORK
:

SONS,

THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE. 416, BROOME STREET.

1869.

"-JIN

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.

Before the different languages which are now common among men were developed, various animate and inanimate objects were made use of instead of words, for the purpose
of giving expression to thoughts.

Animals, birds, and flowers

;

were emblems of individuals and their characteristics

and

though sometimes erroneously assigned, they are yet very

generally adopted.

Lions and foxes, eagles and hawks, and an almost endless

number

of quadrupeds and fowls of the

still
;

air,

have been thus

little

applied and are

yet, since

most of us are

familiar
civiliza-

with beasts and birds of prey, in these days of high

tion,
it is

natural that

we should make
daily
life,

choice of objects which

desire to give

are

mixed up with our

when we

expression to our opinions or feelings by means of symbols

rather than words.

In the vegetable
for this purpose.

kingdom we
live in the

find

objects most suitable

trees,

VVe

midst of

and flowering

IXTRODCCTOKV PREFACE.
plants and shrubs.

We

are daily surrounded

by the denizens

of the conservatory, the favourites of the flower-garden, or the

native beauties of our fields.
in

Many

of these are associated

our minds with seasons of joy and sorrow, of pleasure and

pain.

Many

of us have, laid up in

some hidden

spot, dried

specimens of one flower or another, which was gathered by,

or presented to us
at

a time of unusual happiness, or on

grief.

an occasion of intense

These dried specimens are

us back into the

now and then looked upon, and they take

past,
all

and they help us

little

in

remarkable degree to revive

or painful, connected with

the

incidents, pleasant
first

the time

when we

became possessed of them.

Associations such as these give a charm to the

of Flowers, and have tended to
to render
it

Language

make

it

popular
is,

in

short,

universal in
It

its

adoption.

It

indeed, of no

modern

origin.

existed long before the oft-lamented days

faithful

of chivalry,

when

and reverential

affection

for

the

comparatively secluded lady could hardly be

in

made known
it

any other way than by emblems, which were,

Antique books are
of
a
flowers.
full

may

be,

of ambiguous import.

of

emblems
ancient

formed

by

the

grouping
that

From

an

Romance we
by name, not
to

learn
;

wreath of Roses was quite a

fair prisoner,

treasure for lovers

and we read that a

Oriana

lia\'ing

the op[)()rtunity of speaking or writing

her lover, informed him of her captivity

kjfly

by throwing
her
tear.s.

to
is

him from a

tower a Rose bathed

vi

in

It

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
asserted that the Chinese possess an alphabet
figures of plants

made up
are

of

and

roots.

The

rocks of

Egypt by

marked

with representations of vegetables foreign to that country,

which

tell

us of the conquests achieved

its

ancient in-

habitants.

The Language
yet
it

of Flowers

is

indeed as old as the

hills

never can become old, for every Spring reproduces

its

characters

anew.

We
and

have a succession, year by year, of

those emblems which, sufficiently distinct in the expression

of our thoughts
feelings,

are

still

characterised
singularly
life

by a
well

degree of ambiguity, which

renders

them

suited to our use, at that particular period of

when our

thoughts and our feelings are more commonly marked by

changeableness and uncertainty
;

when the word

;

uttered one

moment
tion

is

often regretted the next

when

the polite attenat-

which an admiring and impulsive youth pays to an

is

tractive fair one, in the excitement of a pleasure party,

not
;

unfrequently productive to him of regret and self-reproach

when
the

a tender-hearted
of an

girl,

having apparently encouraged

but fortuneless
youth,
is

attentions

intelligent

annoyed

at the recollection of her weakness.

The innocent
indeed well

and pure sensations which induce that mutual regard between

the opposite sexes
in

their

youthfulness,

are

expressed by flowers.

supposed
the

to

The mischievous little god, who is amuse himself by inflicting painful wounds
is

youthful heart,

ever represented with wings,

vii

as

\V^

IXTRODUCrOKV PREFACE.

emblematical of his fleeting and inconstant character, and

with with
a
fillet

over

his
his
all

eyes,

as
;

indicating the uncertainty

as
also symbolical of that

which he aims

darts

blindness with which

mankind
yield,

are

proverbially said

to

be stricken,

when they

without

submitting to the
fatal

guidance of reason, to the influence of his

It
is

inspiration.

also the characteristic of such an inspiration to despise

love
It

bestowed ere sought

in

for,

and to account

it

worthless.
fair

looks for difficulty

will

conquest, regarding the

one

who

not easily be

won

as only worth the winning.

In such a contest for victory, a half-avowal of reciprocal

I

aftection

is

more charming than an absolute acknowledg-

ment

and the yielding up of a flower or a bouquet has

far

made one
of a

happier

than

the
art
;

far-fetched

expressions
is,

most tender note.

art

The

of love-making

with

women, the

of self-defence

the

more scrupulous and

delicate they are, the

more worthy are they of the homage

de Maintenon, who
is

rendered to them.

Madame
when she

said to

have subdued the most inconstant of kings, revealed the

secret of her power,
said,
''

never send him

away

content, never without hope."

Genuine affection knows neither trickery nor calculation.

Simplicity and sincerity are
the
it

its

strength.

That alone paves

Without
with
in-

way

for a

holy union, for a happy marriage.

perish.

all

would languish and

has

heart

filled

difference

never

known what exalted devotion

viii

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
ignorant of those enchanting dehcacies of feeHng which

is

impart value to a sigh, which render a look of importance,

which give meaning to a word but half uttered, which stamp

worth upon a flower that the one detains and the other allows
to be taken.

heart

filled

with indifference
excellence.
It

is is

as far re-

moved from happiness

to
in

as from
is
;

necessary
conflict

have known what love

to have

undergone some

order to be good, tender, and generous.

cities,

But

it

is

not in

the heart of

it is

in

the

fields, in

the midst of flowers,

that the affections flourish in purity and power.

The Language
to

of Flowers lends
filial

its

charms to friendship,
affection.
this

gratitude,

to

and maternal
help

Even the
language.

unfortunate

may

obtain

from

gentle

The unhappy Roucher,

by studying the
for

alone in his prison, consoled himself

flowers which his daughter used to gather

!

him

and, alas

a few days before his death, he sent

to

to

her two dried

lilies,

express at the same time the

fate that awaited

purity of his soul and

often

the

him.

How
cities,

may we

see, in the

crowded thoroughfares of our

their
It

children

seeking to help
!

poor mothers, by offering

small bouquets for sale

to his master, that
fetters
:

was while presenting a Rose

Sadi undertook to break his
" to

the poet

"

Do

well,"

he

said,

thy servant whilst thou

is

hast

it

in

thy power, for the duration of power

often as

short as the blooming of this lovely Rose."

We

have received from the ancients, and from

ix

Eastern

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
peoples, the

greater part

of

the sentiments

and emblems

contained in this volume.

assigning certain

In searching out the reason for

sentiments to particular flowers,

we have

generally found that time, instead of disproving their fitness,

has rather given force to the symbolical character of the

flower,

and has confirmed the propriety of the application.

is

Little study

needed
in

in

the science here taught.

The
and
let

first

rule

the

Language of Flowers

is,

that

flower, presented in

an upright position, expresses a thought

it

to

express the opposite of that thought,

suffices

to

the flower
\\ith

hang down
its

reversed.

Thus, for example, a

" I
fear,
it

Rose-bud,
hope."
"

thorns and
this

leaves, says,

but

If

we present

same Rose-bud,

reversed,

means

Vou must
easy to

neither fear nor hope."

It

But there are divers modifications of a sentiment.

is

single
for

make these modifications even by means of a flower. Take the Rose-bud, which has already served
Stripped of
for."
its

an example.
to

thorns,

it

says,

"There
it

is

cver)'thing
"

hope

Stripped of

its

leaves,

says,

There

is

everything to fear."
of

One may
its

also

vary the

expression

any

flower,

by altering

position.
it

The

Marigold, for instance:

placed upon

the head,

signifies,

sorrows of the luiud ; placed above the heart,

the

it
it

speaks of
expresses

panics of love
It

resting

upon the

breast,

nunii.

nuist

also
is

be remembered that the pronoun of

the

first

person

indicated

by
X

inclining

the flower to the

-o

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
right

the pronoun of the second person

left.

by incHning the

flower to the

Such are the primary elements of our

Friendship and affection should join

mysterious language.
in

improving

it.

These sentiments, the most agreeable and

in

most cherished

Nature, can alone bring to perfection that

which they only have invented.

XI

^^-

0=^

\"

LIST OF PLATES.

Plate
I.

Rose Ivy -Myrtle,

PAGE

emblematic of Beauty,

Friendship,

and

Love

Frontispiece

Plate
and

II.

White
how

Violet

bud, show

the

Small Bindweed Asiatic Ranunculus Roseyoung may win the esteem of the aged, " Candour
17

deference are chaf'ms in the yoiatg''''

Plate

III.

Strawberry Mignonette Blue

which

Bell Tulip,
attachment,
constraiti

characteristics

goodness, excclle7tt

command genuine qualities, and kindness

speak of the " Your perfect

to

me

declare

my
33

regard''

Plate IV. Columbine Mangold Pheasant's Eye, produces chagrin and painful reflections'''' Plate V.

tell

us that "-Folly

55

Blue

Bottle

Dog

Rose

Garden

Wallflower,
to

combined
.

to
.

express, '''Delicacy

and

simplicity

add charms

lasting beauty'".

79

Plate

VI.

Forget-me-not Hawthorn Lily

''''Forget-me-not!

of the Valley,

say to

the

departing loved one,

return of happiness''''

in that rests

my

hope for the

91

Plate

VII.

White Heath Scarlet Ipomoea Sweet Sultan Honeysuckle,

love""

express the sentiments prevailing in the mind of a worthy suitor in declaring his affection, " May good hick attend 7ny attachment, and secure

our mutual happiness in the bonds of

112

xiii

^^^

0=^

LIST OF FLA TES.

PAGE

Plate VIIL
beauty's
pleasure''

Lilac,

purple

and

white Marvel
is

of

Peru
yields

Spiderwort,
aspirant to

betray fear and hope alternating in the

favour, " YoiithJ'iil love

mind of a youthful

timid,

and

but

transient

136

Plate IX.

Periwinkle Snowdrop White

Rose

Common

Heath,

are

expressive of the consolation afforded in retirement by the remembrance of a well-spent life, " Pleasant remembrances console us in the silence of
solitude''

151

Plate X.

Hollyhock Ilepatica Rest Harrow, declare the feeling of an adventurer in a well-considered undertaking, " Cojifidence in success
171

overcomes every obstacle "

Plate XI.
tell

Pompon
the

Rose Star

of Bethlehem

Primrose Wood
The

Sorrel,

young may cause joy purity of early yoidh produce joy"

how

to their elders, "

loveliness

and
191

Plate XII.

Sweet-scented Violet White Jasmine Moss Rose,

Your

show

the

influence of modesty and amiability in the fair sex, "

jfiodesty

and
20S

amiability inspire

me

zaith the

zvarmest affection "

ERRATUM.
In Plate V.,

Blue

Bottle

Dog

Rose

Garden

Anemone,

the

word Anemone

should be Wallfloaver

\w

"""^^

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS.

-o=^-^cM^'

^p

THE

LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
THE ACACIA
" It
is

{Robinia Pseitdacacia).

Platonic

Love.

a gentle and affectionate thought

That, in immeasurable heights above us,

At our first birth the wreath of love was woven, With sparkling stars for flowers." COLERIDGE.

" Love, the last best gift of

Love, gentle, holy, pure."

heaven Keble.

That

holy and pure affection, of which a flowering branchlet

is
;

of the Acacia

emblematical, has surely a heavenly original.

unaccompanied by those endowments of mind and heart which are truly worthy of esteem, it fails to
Beauty
attracts

but

if

power over any who are seeking for them, and who possess the discernment which marks their absence on the other hand, where genuineness of character exists, where amiability, considerateness, and purity of heart and mind are
exercise a lasting

found,

though the casket which contains them may be of the plainest, and repulsive rather than attractive, the influence of
I

THE ACACIA.
these characteristics will generate in the

^ hi

1
mind of the observer
that kind of esteem which, growing into admiring regard, at

length ripens into the purest affection.

Of such

a sentiment as

this,

we

are told, the modest ab-

original native youths of America,

feeling of the highest delicacy,

when they have formed a

in
in

which they cannot express

words,

make

the Acacia their token

representing their

reo-ards to

the fair maiden of their choice, the maiden, fair

to

them

as the fairest of England's daughters to the

isle,

youth of

our sea-girt

and
the

she, not less sensible of the

homage

than the accomplished belles of our saloons, receives it with the blushful ingenuousness of the pure maiden of all lands.

The timber
America.
It

of
is

Acacia

is

highly valued
great

in

North

close-grained,
it

of

hardness,

and
very

is

finely veined,

and thus

commands

the preference of the

It is

cabinet-maker before

all

other native trees.

in-

corruptible, a striking quality of the purest love,

so,

so

much

that gate-posts in use at Baltimore retained their freshIt

ness for nearly a hundred years.

has also great density

to be told that

and toughness, so that we are not surprised

the American Indians use
it is
it

for bows,

as

we do
its

the

yew;
in

stated that their arrows are tipped with

thorns.

The

generic

name Robinia was given

to the

Acacia

honour of Jean Robin, herbalist to Henri Ouatre. The son, who held an appointment at the Jardin de Roi, was the
first
it

who

cultivated the
in 1640.

R. Pseiuiacacia

in

Europe, where

was introduced

The Acacia
k

is

a great

ornament of our shrubberies

it

in

the spring, which

pleasant season

seems to prolong

S^;:^

THE ACANTHUS.
spreading
its

light

shade over our groves, enUvening them

its

with the fresh greenness of

beautifying
flowers.

fine

pinnated leaves, and

them with

its

white pendulous and odoriferous

THE ACANTHUS
It
tect,
is

(A. mollis).

Tu^ Arts.
archi-

related of Callimachus, a

famous statuary and

but of unknown country, that, passing by the grave of

lady, he

drew near to scatter a few flowers upon The young lady had died some twelve her resting-place. months before. She was on the point of being married, and
a

young

the intended union promised

much

happiness, of the enjoy-

Callimachus' comment of which she was thus deprived. miseration prompted him to pay a tribute of regret, but he found that his offering had been already anticipated. The deceased young lady's nurse, collecting the flowers and the veil wherewith her mistress was to be adorned on her wedding

them together in a small basket. This basket she placed near the grave upon an Acanthus plant, and covered
day, put
it

with a large

tile.

In the following spring, the leaves of the

Acanthus grew round the basket, but they, being checked by the edges of the tile, Avere forced round and grew towards
its

extremities.

Callimachus, struck with the beauty of this

rustic decoration,

which appeared as though produced by the

conceived the design which has ever since

Graces

in tears,

adorned the capital of the Corinthian column. This possibly suggested to our immortal Milton the introduction of th
3

B 2

^^<^^ V 0==^

THE ACANTHUS.
Acanthus as an ornament of the bower of our
the garden of Eden, for he says
:

first

parents in

" The roof Of thickest covert was inwoven shade, Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew, Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub,

Fenced up the verdant

wall."

The motto
satisfied his

of Callimachus,

if

he ever adopted one, must

he never

have been with reference to

his art, " Excelsior," for

own

ideal

by the work he produced, but was ever

aspiring after something of greater elegance and beauty than

that which he

had achieved.
delights in a hot climate, and to

The Acanthus
that
it

grow on

the banks of large rivers.

is

From
;

a French writer
;

we

learn

found on the shores of the Nile

le
it

" le Nil

du vert

Acanthe admire
Pliny says that

feuillage
is

"

yet

it

thrives well with us.

wonderfully well suited for a border

plant and an ornament of our lawns.

Chasers and carvers

among

the ancients, whose taste

is

very remarkable, decorated

dresses, with designs

furniture, vases,

and the most valuable

robe of the
fair

suggested by the foliage of the Acanthus.

The poet

Virgil

speaks

of

the

but

frail

Helen as being
in relief;

bordered with a garland of Acanthus wrought

and
it

when he wishes

to praise

works of

art

of

much

value,

is

the Acanthus with which they arc decorated,

"
I'^t

niolli circuni est

Alcimcdon duo pocula fecit, ansas amplcxus Acantho

4

;"

AGRIMONY.
and these bowls were made of beech, a wood which
craft of the turner,

suits the

and affords great

artist

faciUties to the carver.

This elegant model for the

of the Arts.
genius, for
thus,
if

has become the

the

It

may
it

also be regarded as

emblem emblem of
its

any obstacle opposes the growth of the Acanyields,

we

see that

and,
;

turning aside

forces,

vegetates

anew with
say, as
if

fresh vigour
difficulties

so genius raises itself

it

and
It

grows by the very

seems to

which

cannot subdue.

in the

very words of a remarkable bishop

" I

of one of our antipodean dioceses,

failure

do not know what

means."

AGRIMONY
names of

(Agrimonia Etipatoria).G^Ki:YYVV>Y..

Perhaps nothing
of

is

more uncertain than the orthography

r.

plants in colloquial language, especially in the

transposition of the letter

The name argemon

to a plant

{ap'yefxov)

was assigned by Greek physicians

of the eye
its

supposed to be a

cure for a single white speck on the cornea and sclerotic coat
;

and botanists regard

this as the

same

plant, or

best representative.

By
it

placing the r after the

g we

have

would appear that some etymologist among our continental neighbours supposed the word to be equivalent to the " Country Nun," whence its common name
the

modern name, and

in

France

is,

Religieuse des Champs.

The
bells.

flowers of the

Agrimony

are campanulate, of a deli-

cate yellow hue, suspended from the stalk like so

many

little

^
I

French authoress,

Madame

de Chasteney by name,

THE COMMON ALMOND.

says
is

^k

It

thought that the name of Agrimony was given to

this pLint

on account of the resemblance of

*'

its

inverted flower-

cups to the Httlc hand-bells of the hermit. " For myself," I think that Gratitude has accorded the name of she adds,
the
'

Country
in

Nun

'

{Religiense des Champs) to this pretty

campanula,
hospitaller,

honour of some kind, gentle, and obliging

allotted

whose

duty

it

was

to care for the sick,

the poor, and the stranger."

Agrimony was formerly deemed

still

a valuable tonic.
is

It

is

retained in our Materia Medica, but

seldom made use

his treasures,

of.

The

herbalist counts

it

even

now amongst

and they who prefer an infusion of herbs to plain water or fermented drinks, reckon Agrimony tea a refreshing beverage.
It
is

by no means unpleasant
which would give
it

to the palate,

and the cause of

its

temperance might be greatly promoted by

use,

more general

an additional claim to be regarded as

the

emblem

of Gratitude.

THE COMMON ALMOND

"

{Amygdaius communis).

Thoughtlessness.
The hope,
in

dreams, of a happier hour

That ahghts on misery's brow,

Springs out of the silvery ahiiond flower,

That blooms on a

leafless

bough."

Lalla RooJdi.

Mythology
o
^^^

hands down to us a fabulous account of the

It
is

origin

of

the Almond-tree.

sufficiently

romantic to
those

claim the character of a touching story.

Among

who

^^^X-i^:^

Qf=^r^<^^

_:0

THE COMMON ALMOND.

accompanied the Greeks
to the siege of Troy,

was Demophon,
yEthra,

or Acamas, a son of Theseus

and Ph2edra.
Helen.

the

mother of Theseus, was made captive by Castor and Pollux,

when they rescued

was
in

their

sister

She was taken

to

Sparta, and went with Helen

when

carried off

by

Paris,

and

constant attendance upon her.

to
see the

When

Helen was

summoned

wondrous deeds

Of horse-taming Trojans and brass-coated Greeks,

//. b.

iii.

1.

130.

on Paris and Menelaus having undertaken to decide the fate

of Helen and of

Troy by

single combat,

From
Not

her room she hastened, shedding tender tears

alone, but two

yEthra, Pittheus' child,

handmaids with her followed, and full-eyed Clymene

;

//. b.

iii.

1.

142.

who

(.^thra)

was afterwards
his return

set

free

from slavery by the

efforts of

her grandson, Demophon.

Demophon on

from Troy was shipwrecked on the

coast of Thrace, where he

met with

Phyllis,

daughter of the

Thracian king, Sithon.

mutual attachment sprang up

between Demophon and Phyllis and they became espoused,

but ere the nuptials were celebrated,

moned

to Attica on the death of his

Demophon was sumfather. Hope for a

young
gentle

speedy, return, and fear of a prolonged absence, led the

pair to fix too early a date for their reunion.
Phyllis, with all the anxiety attendant

The

on inactive waiting,

counted the minutes which must elapse before the day, long

looked

for,

would dawn

it

dawned
7

at length,

and nine times

^@^^=^

THE COMMON ALMOND.

Phyllis ran to the sea-shore.
fled

Demophon came

not

then hope

from her breast, she

fell

a prey to grief and died,

into

say by her own hand.

tree.

She was transformed

detained, but
;

some an Almondfaithless.

Demophon had been

after,

was not

Three months
due

he returned returned with heart desolated

by the death of
rites,

his betrothed.

He

offered sacrifices with all

;

manes of the loved one and the fable tells us that she was sensible of his return, for the Almond-tree which enclosed her in its bark, was suddenly covered with flowers, as if thus she would make known to him that death itself had not altered her affection. This, the sweet Almond, and its variety, the bitter Almond,
to appease the

are

extensively planted

in

the

front
first

of shrubberies

and

suburban gardens, where, on the

flowers of this beautiful

approach of spring,

the branches, yet nude of foliage, are covered with the lovely
tree.

Hence the

fruit-germs are

formed so

early, that the later frosts destroy

them, and they

do not come to maturity.

How

meet an emblem of that

efforts of a

thoughtlessness which too often leads youth to rash deeds,

which mar their future prospects, and render the

lifetime

nearly

fruitless,

when compared with

the

results

which might, and probably w^ould have followed, upon a

thoughtful and deliberate course of action
!

The

spring frosts destroy the fruit in

of causing the flowers to

embryo but instead fade and perish, they seem to endue

;

them with

fresh lustre,

When

The almond-ljloom doth show, spread upon the leafless tree, whiteness like the drifted snow ;"
fully

"

THE ALOE.
and
thus, pale

and blanched

at eventide,

may

be seen a group
if

of profusely blooming trees.

On

the ensuing morning, as

by the freezing air of night, the bloom appears in rich rosy garb, and retains this new adornment, though it may be in fact the decoration of death, for a month or more, and it falls only when the trees are fully clad with leafy verdure.
refreshed

THE ALOE.
De Vaillant
long, closely

Bitterness, Grief.

found very

the deserts of Namaquois.

many species of the Aloe in Some of these had leaves six feet
;

packed and armed with a long spine

rises a

from the
tree,

midst of the leaves there

stem to the height of a

Others grow like

adorned with

flowers

throughout.
;

the

Cactus, bristling with spines

while some, again, are spotted,

earth.

and have the appearance of serpents creeping upon the

Brydone says that the

city

of

Syracuse was, as
;

it

were,

covered with large Aloes in bloom

their beautiful

and elegant

stems giving to the headland above the beach the semblance

of an enchanted woodland.

The Aloe
trees,

is

an extensive genus of exotics, comprising

plants.

shrubs,

and herbaceous
is

The
if

collection at the

Museum

de Paris

said to be the finest in the world.

us,

The

Aloe thrives well with

monstrous,

but chiefly,

not entirely, as a
to say

denizen of the greenhouse.

These magnificent, not

Africa.

members

of the vegetable kingdom, are for the

most part natives of barbarous

There they

flourish

among

rocks, in arid sands, in the

glowing atmosphere which

THE AMARANTH.
tieers

and

lions delijjht to breathe.

While we admire these

lot

flowers which adorn a climate so noxious to our constitutions,

we oueht
on every

to be thankful that

our

has fallen in more

raises over

pleasant places.
side,

Here friendly Nature

;

our heads,

verdant bowers

here she spreads under our feet

a green carpet of grass, variegated by the purple crocus, the

violet,

the pretty daisy with

its

golden disk and white and

kinds

rosy petals, and other pleasing products of Flora's domain.

The Aloe

is

used

medicinally

the

coarser

for

domestic animals, the

finer sorts for hepatic affections in the

human
is

species.

It is

intensely bitter.

The

kept fixed

in position,

are very slender.

by which it Some of the more

roots,

curious
sphere,

seem

to derive

nourishment chiefly from the atmo-

and these present to us singular and bizarre figures. Since disappointments, adversities and calamities, produce and bitterness of
feeling,

and thus tend to alienate our and, if they produce affections from surrounding objects their best effect, lead us to seek comfort and support of a
grief
;

permanent character from the highest sources so the savour of the Aloe and its slight attachment to the
;

bitter earth,

have suggested that

it

may

fitly

represent Bitterness and

Grief in floral language.

THE AMARANTH. Immortality,

Some
6
'"L

Unfading.

of the species of this order are ornamental, but the

greater

number

are unattractive

in

appearance.

They

are

prized because they

seem

to be the parting gift of auUiiun.

Ji

THE AMARANTH.
and
their flowers retain the brightness of their colour

when

dried.

This property has gained

(o

for

them the name Amaflower,

rantos

dfiapavro^),
is

unfading,

or the never-fading

which PHny says

gathered, keeps
its lustre if

of a purple colour, velvety, and, though

its

beauty while

all

others fade, and recovers

sprinkled with water.

The

ancients were accustomed to

make

use of this flower

it.

In their religious

ceremonies, and to deck their images with

its

Poets have sometimes combined

lustre with the

gloom of

the cypress, as though they would intimate that their great

sorrow for the dead was allied with enduring remembrances.

Malherbe, a French poet,

that his

who

lived 1555

1628,

assuming

own fame was

:

allied to

that of his hero, says to

Henri Quatre
"

Ta louange dans mes vers, d'Amarante couronnee, Naura sa fin terminee qu'en celle de I'univers."
friendship are also adorned with

Love and
the
"

Amaranth.
lines

In
the

Guirlande de Julie," the

following

claim

Amaranth
gods
:

as the appropriate flower wherewith to crown the

" Je suis la fleur d'amour qu'Amarante appelle Et qui viens de Julie adorer les beaux yeux.

Roses, retirez-vous,
II

j'ai le

nom

d'immortelle,
les dieux."

n'appartient qu'a

moi de couronner

In a pleasant idyl. Constant

this flower,

regarding

it

as in

Dubos has sung so sweetly of some measure consoling us for

refrain

the severity of winter, that

we cannot
II

from quoting a

THE AMARANTH.
few
the

The author regrets the rapid flight of time and fleeting beauty of summer flowers, and then adds,
lines.

" Je t'apergois, belle et noble

Tu De

viens m'offrir, pour charmer

Amarante mes douleurs.

!

ton velours la richesse dclatante

Ainsi la main de I'amitie constante,

Quand tout nous fuit, vient essuyer nos Ton doux aspect de ma lyre plaintive

pleurs.

ranim^

les

accords languissants.

Dernier tribut de Flore fugitive,

Elle nous legue, avec la fleur tardive,

Le souvenir de

ses premiers presents."

Queen

Christina of Sweden,

who wished

to

win

for herself a

name, by abdicating the throne that she might devote herself

to literature

and philosophy, founded an Order of Knights

of the Amaranth.

The

decoration of this order

is

a gold

medal, embellished with an

motto, Dolce nclla incinoria.

Amaranth

in

enamel, with the

In the floral
lyric

games

at Toulouse, the prize for

the best

songs

is

a golden Amaranth. the claims of the

verse,

Our own Milton was not unmindful of Amaranth to be inwoven in his undying

though he

imagines a flower which, transplanted from earth, should

bloom for ever in heaven. Describing the worship of the Almighty Creator, when He had spoken to the angels of the " new heaven and earth," he says,
To the ground With solemn adoration down they cast Their crowns inwove with Amarant and gold, Immortal Amarant, a flower which once
12
"

THE AMARYLLIS.
In Paradise, fast by the tree of
;

life,

Began to bloom but soon for man's offence To Heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,

And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life. And where the river of bliss through midst
Rolls o'er Elysian flowers her

of
;

Heaven

amber stream

With
Bind

these, that never fade, the spirits elect

their resplendent locks
in loose garlands thick

Now

enwreathed with beams. thrown off; the bright

Pavement, that

like a sea of jasper shone,

celestial roses, smiled."

Empurpled with

Moore introduces our

"

flower in Lalla

Rookh

Amaranths, such as crown the maids That wander through Zamara's shades."

This Zamara being said to be an ancient name for Sumatra.

The people
life,

of Batta, in that country,

in

we

are informed,

when
and

not occupied by war, indulge

idleness,

and

in

an inactive
flute,

spending their days

in

playing on a sort of

crowning themselves with garlands, of which the chief component are the flowers of the Globe Amaranth, one of their
indigenous plants.

THE AMARYLLIS. Pride,

The number
derable.
for,

Haughtiness.
some

of species

in

this

genus, as well as
is

kindred genera of the same natural order,

Florists

very consi;

say that they are very haughty plants

notwithstanding the most assiduous care, they often

fail

to yield the reward of flowers.

13

This

is

doubtless a great

S-^-o-

THE AMERICAN COWSLIP.

loss to the floriculturist.

The most haughty

is

the Guernsey
in its

Lily, a flower of

charming beauty, resembling

bearing

and magnitude the Tuberous Polianthus, commonly known as The Guernsey Lily is of a rich cherry-red the Tuberose.
colour, and,

when

lighted up

by the

direct rays of the sun,

appears to be sprinkled, or to use an heraldic term, semee,

with

golden spots.
the

The name
which
is

of these lovely flowers

{d/xapvo-o-etv),

is

derived from
sparkle
brilliant

Greek verb amariissein

very

to

or

dazzle,

characteristic

of

their

appearance.

The

dazzling splendour of the Amaryllis

in society,

when
ofl"

in

full

bloom, has sometimes a parallel

belle in the grandeur of
skill

where a haughty

her prime beauty, set

by the

of a fashionable modiste, eclipses the quiet attractions

of as fair but

more

retiring sister,

which are often destined

rival,

to outlast those of her

"

proud and disdainful

thus,

When

Amaryllis

fair

doth show the richness of her

;

fiery glow,

of human eye, which soonest brightest things doth spy. Yet vainly is the honour won, since hastily her course is run She blossoms, blooms, she fades, she dies, they who admired, now despise." Flowers and Heraldry.
;

The modest lily To win the gaze

hides her head

the former seems so proudly spread

THE AMERICAN COWSLIP

{Dodecathcon Mcadid).

You ARE MY Angel.

D'^JblXATlIEON, a Greek word meaning twelve gods,
is

the

name
^.

of a plant mentioned

by

Pliny, to

whom

the

native
It
is

habitat (Virginia) of this was certainly unknown.

m.

-0=r;

APPLE BLOSSOM.

^i

1
somewhat ostentatious appellation of an herb so small and unassuming as the American Cowslip, but extravagant admirers and botanists, even the great Linnaeus, are not so
very particular
as
to

the

fitness

of names.

This plant

throws up one single stem, from the midst of a rosette of

large leaves, which
lie

flat

on the ground

on

its

summit

are displayed, in the

light-purple
dies off
flowers.

month of June, twelve

It
is

inverted pretty

highly ornamental.

The stem

when

the bloom

is

gone, and the root alone remains

It thrives best in
is

until the following season.

shady situations

and

light

loamy

soils,

but

not easily kept.

APPLE BLOSSOM. Preference.

So much
to

care has
its

been bestowed upon the Apple tree on account of wdiich

the
it

improve

fruit,

is

very highly

Romans counted only twenty varieties, several hundreds are now reckoned in England and France. The tree has no beauty of form to make it
valued,
that,

whereas

attractive

and
is

fruit

when grown as a standard gardens, when the blossom

;

but
is

in

our orchards
it

newly expanded,
if

most ornamental and pleasing

the rich russets and

and

our imagination

passes on to a later season, anticipating the enjoyment of

the

fruit,

other dessert kinds, which

beautify our table and

clined
to give

gratify our palate,

we

are

much

in-

other flowers,
its

Apple Blossom the Preference over all not excepting even the Rose, since that, when
to
fled,

beauty

is

leaves us only an agreeable

smell.
15

perfume to

charm our sense of

THE ASH.

THE

ASP!

{Fraxiiiins

cxcelsioi').

GRANDEUR.
head.

The Ash, As if still

It

aspiring upwards, rears

its

higher from

its
it

native

bed

sought to grow until

'tis

reach the sky;

it

Yet

so tied to earth that

will die

some roots be bared of soil, and cease To draw supplies which make the tree increase Thus man to grandeur raised and high estate
If but

By

public favour,

will, if

that abate.

Sink down again, and then his name shall ne'er Be heard with aught of love, or hate, or fear. MS.

We

are told in

their court
"

Edda that the immortal gods hold beneath an Ash tree which,
the
his

Far stretching
its

umbrageous arms,"

COWPER.
we

covers with

branches the whole surface of the world.

Chronicle was written, therefore,

When
infer

that

veritable
this

from

statement that the author's, and no doubt

is

the popular belief was, that the earth

"as

flat

as a dish,"

an opinion not yet quite exploded

in the part of the

!

world

where we

live,

even

in

this the

nineteenth century
is

The
the

highest point of this

marvellous tree
its

said to touch

heavens, and the ramification of

roots to extend to the

depths of the lowest regions.

fountains:
in

From
is

the roots issue two

one of these wisdom

hidden, and

in

the

other

we

arc bid to seek for the knowledcfc of future events.

i6

^'z-

W'liilr liitlrl

.SiiniU lliinhvrrd
.

h'rt/

A'-

Il7/i/r

Ini.sfhinl

Ishilir lldiiiinciihis

THE ASIATIC RANUNCULUS.

THE ASIATIC RANUNCULUS

The
Though
its

{R. Asiatiais).Yo^J^

Charms are Resplendent.

"full

Ranunculus of glowing red"

it

is

a native of the

Levant, whence
it

was brought nearly three centuries ago.

is

the

common garden Ranunculus, and

it

greatly

admired when blooming,

beauty merits.

is

not so

much

cultivated as

The

varieties of this species are

innumer-

and are constantly increased by plants raised from seed, not any two seedlings producing flowers the same as
able,

the parent.
it

This peculiarity may, perhaps, have caused

florist.

to

be neglected by the professional

character and
great

Varieties of

established

colour can
years,

be perpetuated

and

retained for a

number of
grow

by separating with

a penknife

all

the buds in the crown of the tuber from each

into independent plants.
is

other, so that they will

By

these

means the

risk of losing the variety

greatly lessened.

The
red,

flowers are brilliant in their tints,

and

may

be enumer-

ated as coffee-coloured, crimson, gray, olive, orange, purple,

rosy,

spotted, striped, yellow, white, &c.

Scarcely any

plant offers such variety in colour, or anything so striking

to the eye.

THE ASPHODEL. My
The
culture,

Regrets follow you

TO THE Grave.
Asphodel
is

an ornamental genus of plants of easy

rapidly.
It

and may be increased

in

affords

much

nourishment to sheep

Apulia, where a large extent of land

A^^^

THE ASPHODEL.
abounds with the white
with her companions
in

species.

Persephone was wandering

the fields of

Enna

there, in the

meadow, sprung up a narcissus of marvellous beauty. Persephone saw it, longed to gather it, hastened away from her friends and put forth her hand to pluck the flower, when lo the earth opened, and Pluto seized the young goddess and bore her in his golden chariot to his palace in Hades, where
!

he made her his mournful bride and queen of his domains.

The Asphodel was dedicated

of her sad
in

funeral

memory abduction, and by the ancients was much used ceremonies. The Shades, who have passed
to Persephone, as
if in

beyond

the river Acheron,

roam about

over

vast

fields

covered with this flower, and there they drink of the waters
of the river of oblivion.

Longfellow, in a

{q\^

verses

called

''

The Two Angels,"

Asphodel

gives a curious conceit, wherein he combines the

and the Amaranth:

"Two

Passed

******
Angels, one of Life, and one of Death,
o'er the village as the

morning broke

And one was crowned with Amaranth, as with flame, And one with Asphodels, like flakes of light.
*

-if

And he who wore

And my
*

the crown of Asphodels,

to

Descending at my door, began soul sank within me

*
I
-)f

knock;

The door

opened

to

my

heavenly guest,

And

listened

i8

p
Then with
'

TI/E

BEE OPHRYS.
filled

a smile that
is

the house with li^ht

Life,'

My
On

errand
I

not Death, but

he said

And, ere

answered, passing out of sight,

his celestial
at thy door,

embassy he sped.

'Twas

O
;

friend,

and not

at

mine,

The angel with

the Amaranthine wreath.

Pausing, descended

and, with voice divane,

that

Whispered a word

had a sound of Death.

Then fell upon the house a sudden gloom A shadow on those features fair and thin

And softly, from that hushed and darkened room, Two angels issued, where but one went in."

Does the
the

writer wish to imply that the

Asphodel

typifies this

present Life, a season of disappointments and regrets, while

Amaranth

represents Death, as the period which grants

to the prepared spirit

an entrance into Life immortal

THE BEE OPHRYS

" See, Delia, see this image bright
It
!

{O, ^///"^m). Error.

why

starts

my

fair

one at the sight?

;

mounts not on offensive wing, nor threats thy breast with angry sting Admire, as close the insect lies, its thin-wrought plume and honey'd
thighs,

Whilst on this
rest.

flow'ret's velvet breast,

it

seems as though 'twere

lull'd to

Nor might
Think not

its fairy

wqngs unfold, enchain'd

'tis

to set the captive free,

in aromatic gold but the picture of a bee."

Snow.

This
'V\

is

one of the most remarkably beautiful of our

Its

indigenous orchids.

ordinary habitat
soils.

is

in

open meadows,
but sparingly,

by woodsides, on chalky

It is found,

19

BALM.
about the chalk quarries at Compton and Wanborough, as

we

learn from a paper on the " Flora of Godalming," kindly

sent to us

by the Author,

J.

D. Salmon, Esq., M.B.S.

It

may

easily be overlooked in such rural places, for

"

The humble bee

flower
;"

Seems sipping honey from the purple

Favourite Field Flowers.

and we pass on, not thinking that we have just glanced upon so singular an effort of Nature in the vegetable
kingdom.
life,

How

often

do we

miss, in our journey

interest

through

things

of the greatest

and most remarkable

object
reality

peculiarity, differing

by prepossession of the mind with an

!

from the present unperceived

BALM
The
generic
to this because

{Melissa

officinalis).

PLEASANTRY.

name
it

Melissa (MeX/o-o-a) was no doubt given

is

pre-eminently a bee plant, an especial

favourite with that ever active

and industrious
in

insect.

Its

flowers

abound
Its

in

honey, as others
leaves
is

the

Natural Order

Labiata^.

fresh

have the agreeable flavour of

lemon.
in

This fragrance
i)lant.

evanescent and not to be perceived

the dried

It

used to be thought

much

of as a

strengthener of the nerves, and as giving relief to the hypochondriac.

An

infusion of

its

leaves

is

now valued

as a

pleasant and cheering tea in the heat of the summer.

20

BALM OF

GILEAD.

BALM OF GILEAD. Cure.

There
is

Healing.

Fir-tree

known

as

the

Balm

of

Gilead,

which exudes a
pentine.

gummy
is

substance, the

medicinal qualities

of which, however, do

not

surpass those of

common
by

tur-

There

very great doubt about the tree which

the Jews.

yielded the inestimable balm so highly valued

It
is

alleged by
It

in

Palestine.
ills

some writers was regarded

is

that
as a

it

does not

now

exist

panacea

for " the thou-

sand

that flesh

heir to."

We

not unfrequently employ

the word

balm

in

a moral and figurative sense,

likely to

when we
grief

mean anything which we deem

soothe the
afflicted.

temper

and

benevolent disposition and sincere

friendship are true balms, serving to heal the

wounds of the
with patience

mind, which are

than physical

far

more

difficult to sustain

evils.

BALSAM
The

{Impatiens Nolitangere).

Impatience.
plants,
is

Yellow Balsam, though one of our native

It
it

by no means common. moisture abounds. So

"In

delights in shady woods,

it

where

has been written of

the thick and deep recess of a blooming wilderness, Tangled weeds concealed from view what alone by sound we knew A bubbling murmuring stream, unlit by glittering beam Of the gorgeous sun above this delightful cool alcove. On the soft and moistened bank, which the brooklet's waters drank, 'Mid the ravelled weeds there grew, pleasing to our searching view, Yellow Balsam's blossoms gay, scattered o'er in thick array, With the shining scarlet spots Nature to this flower allots." Favourite Field Flowers.

11

C6t

BALSAM.
The Yellow Balsam has been found
Yorkshire
it
;

at

Fountain's Abbey,

in

Westmoreland, and
in

in

Surrey,

but rarely

is

an annual, blooming

the hot months of July and

August.
close

The

flowers,

and especially the capsules, merit

ripe,

inspection.
lightly,

When

the seed-vessels,

if

touched

however
curl

instantaneously separate at the base and

backward, jerking the seeds to a considerable distance,

whence it has acquired the common name of Touch-menot. Darwin thus notices this peculiarity
:

'

With

fierce distracted

eye Impatiens stands,

Swells her pale cheeks and brandishes her hands

With rage and hate the astonished groves alarms, And huds her infants from her frantic arms."

Impatience
in

is

a very
serial,
is

common and
St. Paul's,

ruinous

folly.

writer
all
;

the popular

says,
is

"the greatest of

waste of time

hurry.

Impatience

the robber of time

whereas procrastination, as we know by the copybooks,

a

is

mild

and gentle

thing,

whose petty
Impatience

larcenies
is

are ac-

companied by no

violence.

always rushing
Impatience
in

headlong into tangled and thorny thickets to explore some

promising and picturesque short-cut to nowhere.
is

always on the point of finding a

fool's

paradise
to

mare's nest.

Impatience goes on from

silk

failure

faikire,

attempting to make

purses out of sows' ears.

in

Impatience

keeps tossing over new acquaintances

a perpetually dis;

appointed rapture of anticipation of ideal perfection

like

some insane bee buzzing about

should

in search of a flower

which

be entirely constructed of \\hite

wax and

clarified

honey."
22

BASIL.

BASIL

(Ocymtim Basilianit).

Hatred.
It is also

Poverty has been

represented as a female form covered

a

with rags, seated near a Basil plant.

common
King

saying that Hatred has the eyes of a Basilisk, which, according to

several

ancient and learned authors, was the

its

of Serpents, wearing a royal crown upon

head, blighting

herbage with

Why
it

is

by a glance of its eye. Sweet Basil should be made the emblem of Hatred difficult to say. The French word Basilic, correits

breath,

and

killing

sponding to our

specific

term Basilictnn,

is

also applied to

the fabulous reptile spoken of above.

There

may

be some

supposed resemblance to the

in

fanciful pictures of the reptile

the labiate flower, which

;

may have
is

suggested the em-

blematic use

but the flower

not only not hurtful, but

neighbours.

a culinary aromatic

used by our continental

Moore,

in

Lalla Rookh, speaks of

"
Its fragrant

The

Basil

tuft,
;

that waves

blossom over graves

and

tells

us that
it is

Persia,

where

commonly found in churchyards in called Rayhan perhaps some superstitious

it

is

passer-by at dim twilight,

full

of dread fear of hobgoblins

and shades of the departed,

for
^^

may

have mistaken the flower

the glaring eyes of this

the reptile, and thought that

inonstriiin

honrndinn' were threatening him with death

and destruction.

23

THE BEECH.

THE BEECH
Every
first

{Fagiis sylvaticd).

PROSPERITY.

school-boy must

know

the opening" hnes of the

Eclogue of

Virgil's Bucolics,

wherein Meliboeus, seeing

:

Tityrus h'ing at ease under a Beech-tree, thus accosts him

" Tityre, tu patulse rccubans sub tcgmine fagi

Silvestrcm tenui miisam meditaris avena

"
;

which

is

as

if

he had said

in

simple English,

"

Tityrus,

thou, reclining under the shade of a wide-spreading Beechtree,

rehearsest

sylvan song

upon

the

slender pipe

apparently envying the rustic owner of the woolly flock he

tends
;

thinking

how happy must be

the

man, who, pros-

perity favouring, can thus enjoy at will the very pure air of

the open

fields,

shaded from the mid-day sun by the spreadof our trees forms so

ing foliage of the Beech-tree.

Not any other

ample a

roof,

and

if

you seek shelter from a pelting shower, or a shade from the

scorching sun, you will find
it

best

" Beneath- the shade which Bccchen boughs diflusc."

This marked feature

in

the Beech has seldom passed unnoticed

by the poet who has named it in his verse. Gray, in his Elegy, combines it in the mind of village swains with the memory of some departed patriarch
:

" There at the foot of yonder nodding Beech,

That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high, His hstless lenglli at noontide would he stretch,

And

])ore

upon the br(jok that bubbles by."

24

THE BERBERRY.
The Beech, though perhaps
more
neither
it

so

handsome nor
it

so

valuable as the oak, yet rivals

in

appearance, and grows

rapidly, so rapidly indeed that

on that account
it

might

well claim to be the

emblem
its

of prosperity, while

deserves

to be so regarded for

abundant mast, which

in

days of
oil,

yore fattened deer and swine.

Beech-nuts yield a sweet

which

the

French peasantry not unwillingly mingle with

their diet.

THE BERBERRY
The
Berberry
its

{Berberis -.7//^^z;7>). Tartness.

Sharpness.
is

an ornament to our shrubberies, when

in spring,

adorned with

pendulous racemes of flowers

or

when its bunches The green of the when somewhat

nerves,
if it

of bright red berries are ripe in autumn.

leaves,

which are pleasantly

the flowers

acid,
is

has a

bluish or yellow tinge.

The odour of
air,

agreeable

diluted with
in

but offensive to our olfactory

comes
are,

contact with
fruit is so

them when

just emitted

from the bloom.

them.

The

sharply acid, that birds reject

They

nevertheless, valued as garnish, for which

;

purpose they are pickled

serve,

and they form an agreeable pre-

when boiled with when applied to asserted by many

and nourishment

sugar.

The

Poles extract a fine

yellow dye for leather from the root-bark.

the stem
It
is

The

inner bark of
it

linen,

with alum, will dye

the

yellow.

writers that
to

Berberry affords
Cy

shelter

an insect {^cidhim Berberidis),

it

which produces rust

in corn, so that

is

a great foe to the

THE BIRCH
farmer.

TREE.

^^K"

On

account of the keen acidity of the

of Tartness.

fruit,

it

is

made

the

emblem
all

We

are also told that the

irritability,

flowers are

endued with such extreme

the

that at the

lightest touch,
pistil
:

the stamens coil themselves around the

characteristic sharpness

hence they exhibit

is

of

persons whose anger

trivial causes.

instantaneously aroused

by the most

THE BIRCH TREE

This
Coleridge speaks of
it

[Bctiila /r;^^i^///<^.) Gracefulness.

species of the Birch

as

is

an exceedingly graceful
"

tree.

Most

beautiful
;"

Of forest
a
title

trees, the

lady of the woods

Its

which

it

fully deserves.

spray

is

more slender
foliage has
w^illow,

than that of other species, and also larger.

The

an elegant pensile appearance, as the weeping

like his
it

and
In
this,

is

set in

motion by the
" Isle

faintest breath of zephyr.

poem, the

of Palms," Wilson has observed

and applied the

epithet,

"weeping," to our
"

tree,

On

the green slope

down, Amid the fragrance of the yellow broom, While o'er our heads the Weeping Birch-tree streamed

Of a romantic glade we

sate us

Its

branches, arching like a fountain shower."

is

The

Birch

of rapid growth, and, at any age, one or two

arc a pleasing addition to small plantings in the vicinity of

our dwellings.
26

r>>^,^

BITTER-SWEET NIGHTSHADE,

BITTER-SWEET NIGHTSHADE
Truth.

{Solamim Dulcamara).

Truth

has been justly regarded as the mother of Virtue,

the daughter of Time,

truth to light,

and

since time only

The
pain,

in

many
when

cases brings
in

queen of the world, because

facts revealed

the end

it

must have

full

sway.

the truth

is

known may produce mental

and the
relief

and bitterness of
it

heart,
gives,

but these are accompanied by the gratification which

Such are the effects of the leaves of Bitter-Sweet Nightshade on the palate, when they are chewed first a keen sensation of bitterit

from doubt and anxiety

affords.

ness,

followed

immediately by sweetness.

Beaumont and
:

Fletcher characterise truth very appropriately

" Truth, though it trouble some minds, wicked minds, that are both dark and dangerous, Some Preserves itself: comes off pure, innocent And hke the sun, though never so echpsed, Must break in glory
!
!

The

plant
its

is

described as a deciduous twiner

twice yearly,
as

but alleged to
;

renew
in

foliage

do our evergreens

it

delights in dark

and shady

places,

and thus resembles truth

her supposed characteristic of being pleased to abide at the

wells.

bottom of

BLACK BRYONY
This twining

{Taimis commimis).
is

Be

my Support,

plant

common

throughout Europe, bear-

ing yellowish green flowers, and oblong fleshy berries, of a

shining orange red.

It is

supposed to be the Uva Taminia of

27

BLACK MULBERRY.
Pliny.
Its habit
in
its
it

is

that of the vine, though

it

it

has no tendrils,
a
firm support,

hence
b\-

upward tendencies

requires

which
it

climbs to the height of some ten

feet.

In return

for this

adds considerable beauty to the trees which grant

their aid.

BLACK MULBERRY
Italy
is

{Morns nigra). \ WILL NOT

Survive You.
is

the birthplace of the Black Mulberry-tree, which

its fruit.

cultivated on account of the delicacy of

It is
it

by
be
its

no means a

common

tree

why, we know

not, but

may

that, as with the

fruit.

Walnut, he who plants one never eats

The Mulberry
and the

certainly does not bear fruit for very

its

many
age,

years, but afterwards

fruit is larger,

fruitfulness increases with its

its

and

flavour pleasanter.

The
is

Mulberry, like the Strawberry, does not undergo acetous

fermentation
refreshing
justified
:

in

the
its

stomach.
that

It

allays thirst,

and

so

in

effects

Horace's lines

seem quite

"

He

shall with vigour

bear the summer's heat.

be sure to cat His Mulberries, of blackest ripest dyes, And gathered ere the morning sun arise."
after dinner, shall

Who,

FRANCIS.
known
pair
:

Ovid's story about By-ramus and Thisbe

that the latter

is

well

how

was a lovely damsel of Babydon, and that

Pyramus lived in tlie house adjoining. enamoured but their attachment was
;

The
n(;t

became appro\'ed of by

28

:k:==o

BLACK MULBERRY.
their respective

parents.

meeting at the tomb of

They found means to arrange a Ninus. Thisbe first came to the place

of rendezvous, where she

saw a lion which had torn an ox in pieces just before, and she fled alarmed, losing in her flight her garment, which the wild animal soiled with blood.
Pyramus, finding her garment covered with blood, supposed
she had been murdered, and in his frenzy destroyed himself

beneath a Mulberry-tree.

Thisbe ventured to return, when

grief.

she found her lover dead, and killed herself in her

Their mingled blood was drunk up by the

tree,

the fruit of

which

w^as thenceforth black

"

Dark

in the rising tide the berries grew,

;

And

v/hite no longer, took a sable hue But brighter crimson springing from the root, Shot through the black, and purpled all the fruit.''

Cowley alludes

to the fable in speaking of this tree

short

"In two

months her purple

fruit

appears,

And

of two lovers slain the tincture wears."

French author commends the maiden's modesty

:

in

her

dying moments

" Elle tombe,

et,

tombant, range ses vetements

Dernier

trait

de pudeur,

meme

Les nymphes d'alentour lui Et du sang des amants teignirent, par des charmes,
;

aux derniers moments. donnerent des larmes

Le

fruit

d'un murier proche, et blanc jusqu'k ce jour,

Eternel

monument

d'un

si

parfait

amour."

29

BLACK POPLAR.

BLACK POPLAR
The
Italy.

{Popidiis //zV;-^). Courage.

Black Poplar was consecrated to Hercules because he

slew Cacus

who

stole part of the cattle

which he brought into

in

This feat the hero accomplished

a cave by

Mount

Aventine, where the Poplar was abundant.

this,

Virgil records
:

speaking of Hercules under his

"

name Alcides

Come, then, with us to great Alcides pray. And crown your heads, and solemnize the day. Invoke our common god with hymns divine. And from the goblet pour the generous wine, He said; and with the Poplar's sacred boughs,
Like great Alcides, binds his hoary brows."

Hercules performed wondrous exploits and possessed extraordinary courage.

It is

alleged that in his courageous descent

into the lower world

his

head was covered with poplar, and

that the outsides of the leaves were blackened

by the fumes

of the atmostphere.

This tree

may

well then be

made

the
is

emblem
its

of his

most prominent
;

quality.
;

The Black Poplar

its

a valuable tree
light

grows rapidly

delights in moist localities

floats
;

bark supplies fishermen with

does not readily catch

timber suits

the turner and the patten-maker, and supplies capital flooring-

boards

it

fire,

and, in short,

it

is

most serviceable
courage
but
in
is

tree for a variety of purposes.

Even thus

of great use, not only in the battle field of armies,

life,

the battle of

where ever-varying circumstances

this

are continually
quality.

demanding the exercise of

30

inestimable

BLACK-THORN.

BLACK-THORN
This bushy shrub
where
says
its
is

{Prunus

spinosd).

DIFFICULTY.
in

common enough
Hawthorn
is

our hedgerows,
in

white flowers display themselves to advantage

April, ere the
in

March and
:

bloom, though Burns

"

The Hawthorn's budding

in the glen,

And
as
if

milk-white

is

the sloe ;"

both were flowering at the same time.

black,

The bark

is

of a

brown hue nearly approaching

minate with a sharp thorn.

and the branches terThe well-known fruit under the

name
and
is is

of the sloe,

is

small,

covered with a fine

somewhat oval, of a blackish purple, whitish powdery bloom. The juice

very sour, astringent, but not disagreeable at the season of

ripeness.
It is
;

perfect
British

said to be largely used in

its
ij)

making

Port wines

we hope

astringent properties are

not applied to the improvement

of Portugal (so called.)

of rough-flavoured wines
furnished the

The

tree

means

to

dishonest people of adulterating tea,

its

by the admixture of

leaves

with the products

it

of

China.

A
use
" It

Parliamentary

inquiry proved that

formed

fictitious
!

tea in

England
of
is

to

the extent of four million pounds a year

There

is

proverbial

saying
before

made
us,

when a
a
perfect

perplexing

question
;

comes

bundle of thorns

we

don't

know where

to

begin,

nor

how

to act

"
!

31

THE BLUE BOTTLE.

^(M

THE BLUE BOTTLE

This

{Ceiitaiirea Cyanus).

Delicacy.
its
is

species of the Centaurea

is

so ornamental,

flower
often

being- of the intense blue of a cloudless sky, that

it

introduced into the garden.

Under
varies.

cultivation the flowers

It is

become

larger,

and the colour

one of the prettiest

of Flora's

gems among ripening grain. Its specific name Cyanus immortalizes a youth, whose time was spent in making
in

wreaths of such flowers as were

love for them.
chief ambition
celestial hue.

bloom, through his great

This flower he specially admired, and his

was

to clothe himself in

garments of the same

Being found dead, lying amid Blue Bottles

in

which he had collected

into the
his

the

field.

Flora transformed him

oi

Centaurea Cyanus, as a graceful acknowledgment

for her.
It

veneration

has been, therefore,

made
it

the

emblem
inferior,

of that delicacy which marks the devotion of an

feeding upon hope, the realization of which

for.

does

not look

THE BLADDER-NUT

{Staphy lea pinnata).YKVs 0\.0\5^

Amusement.
some pretension to beauty, and therefore found in our garden groves. The leaves are pinnate, which is a pleasing form, and render it graceful. The fruit grows in a bunch, as its generic name The nuts are indicates.
of
jjv

SHRUB

very curious, and hang on the tree for a long time.

32

These

Slrdwhi-rrv

Mio'iioiirllr

In/i/i

l>lii<-

hell

THE BLUE BELL.

explode with a loud

and afford a
which

trifling

when pressed between the fingers, amusement to children. Now and then
noise,

sedate adults vie with the juveniles in this explosive sport, for
its

sentiment has been assigned, perhaps with a degree

of contemptuousness which borders on ill-nature.

Catholics are said to string

Roman
;

them

for use as rosaries

and

poor people on the Continent form necklaces of the seeds,

which are highly polished.

THE BLUE BELL

This
abounds
around
pretty flower,
in the spring
it

{Scilla ;2^;^j<:rz>/^). Kindness.

commonly
months
in

Wild Hyacinth, our shady woods. Nowhere

called the
full

have we seen

so profusely blooming, as in the hazel copses

Godalming,

a neighbourhood

of

picturesque

beauty, where, interspersed with the

host of other flowers,
it

appears to

wood anemone, and a The great advantage.

its

French
for

call

it

JacintJie des Bois,

on account of
which

fondness
the

woodland

shades,

characteristic
in his

Elliott,
:

Corn-law rhymer, has noticed

" Shade-loving Hyacinth
!

vigorous verse

thou comest again,

And

thy rich odours seem to swell the flow

lark's song, the redbreast's lovely strain,
;

Of the

And the stream's tune best sung where wild And ever sweetest where the sweetest grow.''
Keats, in his
character,
"

flowers blow,

poem

"

Fancy," was mindful of

its

shade-loving

and

calls the

Blue Bell the Queen of May,

of the

Shaded Hyacinth, alway sapphire Queen

33

Mid-May."

^k=.

BORAGE.
among

^^/
^^

Botanists class this plant

the squills.

Its specific

name was fancifully given to it, from letters, A i, A i, zuoc ! woe ! which are
on the petals of other hyacinths.
the rich beauty of
its

the absence of the

said to be inscribed

Its delicious fragrance,

bells,

and

deep blue-purple
in
floral

have apparently

claimed for
kindness.

it

a place

language as the emblem of

BORAGE

{Borago officinalis). ?>U^^T^Y.?,^.

that Borago

RUDENESS.

Apuleius says name given to the

though
it

is

a corruption of corago, a
its

plant because of
in

cordial properties.
cool

It

formed an ingredient

the beverage called

tankard,

may
as

be supposed to be rather warming than cooling

"
I,

from the old adage,

Dodonaeus,

Borage,

always
says,

bring
''

courage."

quoted

by Gerarde,
in salads, to

times do use the flowers

Those of our exhilarate and make the

There be also many things made of them, used for the comfort of the Jieart, to drive away sorrow and increase Since men, who are civil and rethe joy of the minde."

minde

glad.

become blunt and rude in manner when under the influence of warming cordials, this warmingproperty may have led to Borage being used as the emblem
spectful

when

sober, often

of Bluntness and Rudeness.

It

is,

indeed,

deemed a

suitable

representative of these characteristics, on account of

its

rough

and shaggy appearance, the whole plant hanging

o
being covered with rough hairs.
perties

loosely,

and

remind us that

Yet its alleged good proa brusque manner often marks a man of
34

A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.
kind heart and thorough sincerity.

be preferred to

Such an one is greatly to the man of pohshed manner, whose every

word
is

is

honey, and every look a smile, but whose whole soul

bent upon making use of you solely for his

is

own advantage.

Borage

a great favourite with the honey-bee.

We

have

sown the seeds extensively in some years, and valued it, not only because we saw our honey-gathering friends continually
busied about
its

flowers,

but

for the beautiful

blue colour of

the large blossoms, which greatly ornamented our grounds.

A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS. Gallantry.

Politeness.

There

is

opportunity for the display of great taste

in the

arrangement of a Bouquet of Flowers.

of course, with the seasons of the year
;

The

materials vary,

but good taste and a

proper appreciation of the character of the person to

the bouquet
is

whom
and

to be offered, will generally produce a satisIt is

factory result.

mark of the

politest attention,

shows an anxious desire to give

gratification.

BOX
Box
is

{Buxus sempervirens).

Stoicism.
useful, durable,
Its

most commonly known as a very

the

and pleasing evergreen edging to our flower-beds.

ing slow growth renders
It
it

exceed-

more valuable

for this purpose.

its

thrives well even under the drip of trees, maintains

35

BRAMBLE.
the great heat of summer, as well as in the severe
winter,

verdure

in

frosts of

and demands

little

care from the gardener

for years, until, as in

some

soils, it
it

grows too high and too

thick to be pleasing.
divided,

Then
It

needs to be taken up, sub-

and

re-planted.

was

much admired by
It is
it

the

Romans, by

whom

the taller-growing kinds were cut into

grotesque forms, to resemble men, animals, &c.

a tree

which appears to be unchanged by time

the wise man,

hence

well repre-

sents that stoicism which, according to Zeno, distinguishes

who

is

not

moved

either
all

by

joy, grief, or

any

other passion, and

inevitable necessity.

who

looks upon

events

as ruled

by

The wood
the

of the Box-tree
lover

is

highly valuable, especially in

for

estimation of the
it

of knowledge,

the facility

which
dered

gives to artists to convey pictorial lessons in every

is

branch of science, whereby the meaning of a writer

renalso

more

precise

and exact to the reader

it

is

useful for

many

other purposes, which are too numerous to

mention here.

THE BRAMBLE
The
where

{Rnlms fniticosns).Y.^\\.

Bramble
in

is

very well

known

to us,

growing every-

our woods and hedges.

Its

long trailing prickly

stems throw themselves outwards from the hedges, by our

now and then lay hold of the loose parts of the garments of pedestrians, who cannot readi1\' release themselves. On tliis account we have licard tliese
road-sides and footpaths, and

A BROKEN STRA W.
branches
facetiously
called
*'

lawyers,"

in

some

parts
let

of

England, where these gentlemen are supposed not to

client off easily

when they get

air

one.
strikes roots

The bramble
afresh,

creeps along through hedges,

keeps off sun and

from the young shoots of the

it

hawthorn, and seems to choke every thing which

comes

near; just as envy, stealthily, treacherously, and spitefully,

seeks to destroy the character and possessions of one

who

is

seemingly prosperous

in wealth, or friends, or esteem.

Miss

Twamley

assigns the bramble to a girl

who

is

crabbed, and

displeased with another

"

more amiable than

fling to

herself,

Yon Bramble

Rachel Rann
;

So crabby and so

spiteful

and most aptly does

this

this wild, rough,

trait.

and prickly plant

befit

very objectionable

Yet the Bramble

flowers,

afTords us
still

and perhaps
if

some pleasure by its pretty pink more by its fruit, the blackberry,
very agreeable to the palate, and

which,

when
;

fully ripe, are

cooling
if

eaten before, they are unpleasant and sour, and

ripe,

when over

they are nauseous.

They make agreeable

tarts,

but are somewhat insipid.

A BROKEN STRAW. Rupture.

The
of
all

Dissension.

custom of breaking a straw, to intimate the rupture

mutual obligations,

may

be traced to a very early

for
it

period.

Madame

de

la

Tour claims

even a royal

'<^

A BROKEN STRA W,
She says that the old Chroniclers relate how Charles the Simple, in the year 922, when he saw that he was forsaken by the chief of his barons, summoned an assembly in He looked among them for the Champs de Mai, at Soissons.
origin.

friends,

but found only a factious crew, whose audacity his

served only to increase.

own weakness
in

Some

reproached him

with indolence, with his prodigalities, and for his blind trust

Haganon,

his minister.

Others complained loudly of his

to

dishonourable

concessions
this

Raoul,

the

Norman

chief.

Surrounded by
promised,

seditious

multitude, he

entreated,

he

and sought to escape them by betraying fresh

all

weaknesses, but
of
all

in

vain.

When

they saw him devoid

;

moral courage, their insolence knew no bounds

they

declared that he was no longer their king.

At

these words,

which they uttered with every gesture of violence, and accompanied with threats, they advanced to the foot of the throne,

broke some straws which they had

in their

hands, cast them

rudely upon the ground and withdrew, having expressed by

this

meaning action that they renounced

is

their allegiance to

him.

This
but
it

the most ancient example of the kind

proves that, long ago, this expressive

treaties

was

in

use, since the great vassals

known to us mode of breaking of the weak king

;

did not consider that any words were needed in explanation

they

felt

sure

that they would

be understood, and they

were

so.
is

There
e

a considerable space of time between the above

in

and the comic scene

one
is

the Dcpit ainoiircux of Moliere

;

yet

the origin of the other

38

at least

they have

A BROKEN STRA W.
same popular custom there is only the difference of time. That which of old served to dethrone a monarch, and revolutionize a nation, is now used only to
source
in

the

express the desolation of a heart.

Happy

are

the loving

hearts whose discords terminate so well as the revolutions of

early times
arises,
!

Yet
it

far

happier they, where dissension never

be, they are

though,
''

may

few

in

number, since

Alas

how light a cause may move

;

Dissension between hearts that love! Hearts that the world in vain had tried,

And sorrow
*

but more closely tied That stood the storm when waves were rough,

* * something light as air, a look, A word unkind or wrongly taken Oh love, that tempests never shook, A breath, a touch like this hath shaken. * * * * *
-^
-jf

And

hearts, so lately mingled,

seem

Like broken clouds,

or

like the stream,

That smiling left the mountain's brow, As though its waters ne'er could sever,
Yet, ere
it

reach the plain below.

floods, that part for ever !"

Breaks into

MooRE, Lalla Rookh.

The Broom and its kindred genera were among the Greeks and Romans. One
hives

great favourites
writer says that

wherever Cytisus grows, there bees never abandoned their

;

and Pliny says of him (Aristomachus), that he was so

life

devotedly fond of bees, that for fifty-eight years of his

continued to raise swarms.
S^

he

The Spanish Broom {Spartium

is

hmceu7n)^ a yellow-flowered species,

cultivated for

its

beauty

39

^4^^^-

A BROKEN STRA W.
and perfume when
in
in

bloom.
is

It

is

grown

for feeding

sheep
Scott

France, and in

Spain

much used
:

for cordage.

notices the toughness of the fibrous roots, which

would make

them

useful for such a purpose

"

And now, to No pathway

issue

from the glen,

meets the wanderer's ken,

Unless he climb, with footing nice,

far projecting precipice.

;

The Broom's tough roots his ladder made The hazel's saplings lent their aid

And

thus an airy point he w^on."

An
its

indigenous species

{S.

scoparinni)

is

very beautiful in

native wilds, where the

" Yellow

Broom

bears her blossoms,

and bright as

bullion unalloyed,"

in

the pleasant months of April, May, and June, of which

Wordsworth was thinking when he wrote,

"

Twas

that delightful season,

when

the

Broom,

Full-flowered,

and

visible

on every

steep,

Along the copses runs

in veins of gold."

In bushy places, thickets, and on sandy

beauties most charmingly
that
it
;

hills, it
it

displays

its

and Burns admired

so greatly
lines,

inspired

him with the following exulting

" Their groves o' sweet myrtle let foreign lands reckon,

Where bright beaming summers exalt the perfume Far dearer to me yon lone glen o' green breckan, Wi' the burn stealing unckr tlic lang yellow Broom.
40

BUCKBEAN.
Far dearer
to

me

are yon

Where
For

the bluebell

humble Broom bowers, and go wan lurk lowly unseen

there, lightly tripping

amang

the sweet flowers,

A-listening the linnet, oft wanders

my Jean."
this species

According to Thompson's London Dispensatory,

is

useful for a vast

number of purposes

in medicine.

BUCKBEAN
The Buckbean
in

{MenyantJies trifoliata).

CALMNESS.

Repose.
is

one of our native plants, found frequently

boggy places and marshes.

The

flowers are white, some-

times flesh-coloured, tipped outside with a rosy pink.

From

the flower-cup, often white as alabaster, springs forth a tuft

of filaments of great delicacy and dazzling whiteness.

No

adequate notion of the elegance of

in

this plant
it,

can be conveyed
lightly
its

words.

Those who have once seen

pendant
favourite

over the clear streamlet or the limpid water of

habitat, will never forget its appearance.

The

bright trans-

parency of the rivulet seems increased by the reflection of

this pretty dweller

on

its

borders.

never to bloom in stormy weather,

is

The Buckbean is said but only when the air

calmness
it

calm and

in repose

and

this quiet

appears

to impart to surrounding objects.

Not only
and
in

is

the Buckbean ornamental, but useful.

sip its sweetness.
It is a

The
;

bee delights to

medicinal herb

times past was beneficially used to allay fever, to

in

soothe rheumatic pains, and to reduce suffering

41

the joints.

BUGLOSS.

For these purposes an infusion of

fore

its

dried leaves

was made,
;

and a wine-glassful administered twice or

it

thrice daily
its
it

thereas the
to

seems
of

fully

to

have

merited

position

emblem
suffering.

calmness and

repose which

yielded

the

BUGLOSS.
This

Falsehood.
been made the emblem
kinds of colouring

plant, of different species, has

its

of Falsehood, because of
substances.

use in

many

In very early times, AncJmsa tinctoria, the Dyer's

to colour
out.

Bugloss,
delicate
hurtful,

was made use of

the face before

is,

more
its

means were found

This

perhaps, the least

It
it

and possesses many advantages.

maintains
as
it

colour for

some days, and water

;

revives

revives

natural colours

and

it

does not tarnish the skin.

" But the blush which tinges the maiden's check,

Whose

heart

is

innocent, gentle

and meek,"

how can
time
i^

it

be imitated

.'*

Art, the most skilful, destroys

desire to please for a
.''

it,

never to be restored.

Do we

long

do we

desire to please always

Then
mind

let

us dismiss

falsehood from

our heart, from our tongue, and from our

constantly bear in
;

countenance, and

that nothing

is

so beautiful as truth
this course

truth alone

is

lovely and lasting.

By

only can

we be made

"beautiful for ever."

42

BURDOCK.

BURDOCK
The

{Arctium Lappa and Bardand).

is

IMPORTUNITY.

Burdock

well

inoffensive source of

throw them at their

require a

known by all boys, to whom it is an fun. They gather the seed-vessels, and companions. The bristly hairs which
and

cover the seed-vessels cling tenaciously to the dress,

little

patience in detaching them.

Thus the Burdeter-

dock

is

fitting

emblem

of

that

Importunity with which

we
as

are sometimes assailed

by

applicants,
It

who seem
of

mined not
such
extirpate

to take a refusal.
its

may

also well be regarded

from
its

pertinacious

resistance
soil.

attempts

to

roots even from

good
is

The

generic

name ''Arctium"

given to this plant because

of the brown hairy

skin of the bear.
hairs

covering which resembles the shaggy

at the

The hardened hooks

end of the
as they

hold so firmly to the coats of

cattle,

that

separate, the seed-vessels are forced open,

when the contents

escape,

and sow themselves

The

plant has

many

useful

properties.

BUTTERCUPS. Cheerfulness.
Except
calling to

the daisy, there

is

not a greater favourite than

the Buttercup.

Children of

all

ranks delight

in

it,

and

poets,
failed

mind

their early field pleasures,

have not

to speak of this wild flower,

and have thus made a permanent

record of the cheerfulness with which Buttercups inspired

them.

Campbell

says,

43

BUTTERCUPS.
I dote upon you summers of old, When the earth teemed around me with fairy delight, And when daisies and Buttercups gladdened my sight, Like treasures of sih^er and gold."

" wildings of nature,

For ye waft

me

to

In the mind of

another writer, with whose

name we

are

unacquainted, Buttercups are associated with the pleasures

of child-hfe, on their
"
first

appearance

in spring,

Again I feel my heart is dancing, With wildly-throbbing keen delight. At this bright scene of King-cups dancing Beneath the clear sun's golden light.

Again

pluck the

little

flower,

The

first

my

childhood ever knew,

that
its

And

think upon the place and hour

first

Where and when

one grew

And
The

as

gaze upon

cup

Shining with burnished gold.

faithful

memory

calls

up

How many

a friend beloved of old!"

And
in

Miss Twamley, when she described her feehngs about

as a child,
"

flowers in poetry, reveals vivid recollections of her pleasures

them

Oh! 1 can now recall th' unthrift delight That filled my basket and my tiny hand, With Buttercups that shone in burnished
all

gold,"

and she thought that

children must have the

same emo-

tions on seeing them, for she calls

them

"blest childhood's darling, the Buttercup,

With

bright rays

gilt,

as

its

flowers glance up."

44

CABBAGE.

We

have not made any distinction as to the species, with

its

respect to

emblematic

use,

because the whole genus

is

known by
appearance
fit

the
is

common name

of Buttercups, &c., and their

sufficiently pleasing to render

any species a

emblem

of Cheerfulness.

CABBAGE

{Brassica^VKOYIT.

We

do not commonly associate flowers with Cabbages

though the flowers borne by some species are not displeasing.

The genus is a very proper emblem of Profit, since there are many garden kinds of great value, of which the Caulithe finest flower flower is esteemed by some persons to be
'*

the garden grows

;"

then the Turnip, Rape, and other agrifor profit,

cultural sorts are extensively cultivated

both as

regards the

tuberous

roots

formerly at

Rome

the fields

and the succulent heads, as were covered with Cabbage for

the like purpose.

The French have a proverb, ''Fait ses choiix graSy' which we may freely render, " He feathers his nest well," when they would imply that a man conducts his business w^ell, and makes everything turn to his own advantage. One may acquire wealth by such a selfish mode if so resolved, but there is a certain book of great " They that will (are antiquity which calls it dangerous.
determined
to)

be rich

fall

into

temptation, and a snare,

(longings),
;

and

many foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in destruction and perdition
into
iJioncy is

which

for the

LOVE of

the root of

all

evils."

45

CANDY

TUFT.

CANDY TUFT
This small shrub we find it bearing

{Iberis ^<?;;//r;^^r^;^i-). Indifference.

Is

an evergreen, and throughout the year

white and scentless bloom.

its

When

he collects the seeds, the gardener must put aside the flowers In bearing fruit it does not fade, but which cover them.
preserves
its

leaves

and flowers even

this
in

in decay.

The
it.

seasons

appear to pass by
different to the

plant without

affecting

How

changes
:

nature generally, which beautiful

spring produces

" See the young, the rosy Spring, gives to the breeze her spangled

While virgin graces, warm with May, fling roses o'er The murmuring billows of the deep have languished into silent sleep And mark! the flitting sea-birds lave their plumes in the reflecting wave; While cranes from hoary winter fly to flutter in a kinder sky. Now the genial star of day dissolves the murky clouds away; And cultured field, and winding stream, are sweetly tissued by his beam. Now the earth prolific sv/ells with leafy buds and flowery bells;

wing her dewy way!

Gemming

shoots the olive twine, clusters ripe festoon the vine

All along the branches creeping, through the velvet foliage peeping,
Little infant fruits

we

see nursing into luxury!"

Moore's Anacreon.
Iberis,

Not

so with the very cold

and impassible

wherefore

Eastern beauties

made

it

the

emblem

of Indifference.
first

They,

indeed, arc thought to have been the

inventors of the

language of flowers, a language

minently before the
fair

for the

first

time put pro-

ladies of

England, by Lady
love-letter

Mary
the

Wortley Montague, who sent a Turkish

o
J-'L

from Pera

to

one of

her

friends

in
:

England, which

contained

following

floral

emblems

THE CHERRY.
" Clove.

You You
I

are as slender as this clove

unblown rose have long loved you, and you have not known
are an
!

it.

Jonquil.

Have
Give

pity

on

my

passion!
!

Pear.

me some hope

A A

Rose.

May

you be pleased, and your sorrows mine

Straw.

Suffer

me

to

be your slave
is

Ci)inamon.

But

my

fortune

yours
"

Pepper.

Send me an answer!

Every

flower, says her ladyship, represents

civility, friendship,

a sentiment:

Letters of

and

love,

the use of ink.

Anger, reproach, or

may be sent without news, may be conveyed

by these eloquent emblems.

THE CHERRY
"

{Primes

Cerasits).

GoOD

EDUCATION.

Ye may simper, blush, and smile, and perfume the air awhile; But sweet things, ye must be gone, fruit, ye know, is coming on Then, oh then, where is your grace, when as cherries come in place
;

.'*"

Herrick, while admiring Cherry-blossom, is anticipating Very pretty is the the time when the fruit will be ripe. Cherry-tree when in bloom. We found two splendid specimens of the wild Cherry growing
in

the boundary-fence

of our grounds, where, for the last eighteen springs

we have
sat

had the

gratification
it

of seeing

its

cheering white flowers,

all over,

with which

was

literally

covered
47

as

we have

THE CHERRY.
in

our dining-room

and therefore we can

fully enter into

the spirit of Barry Cornwall (by which

is

noiii

dc phimc he
:

best known), in his address to the wild Cherry-tree

" Oh,

there never was yet so

racing river or

fair

a thing,

By

bubbhng

spring,

Nothing that ever so gaily grew Up from the ground when the skies were blue, Nothing so brave nothing so free,

As thou
Jove
!

my wild, wild Cherry-tree

it
it

amongst the trees Dashing the pride of the poplar down. Stripping the thorn of his hoary crown Oak or ash what matter to thee? 'Twas the same to my wild, wild Cherry-tree!
!

how Jove how

danced

in the

gusty breeze

frolicked

Never at rest, like one that's young. Abroad to the winds its arms it flung, Shaking its bright and crowned head,
Whilst
I

stole

up
!

for its berries red

Beautiful berries

beautiful tree

Hurrah

for the wild, wild Cherry-tree!

to the

Back

I fly
I

days gone by.

And
I

see thy branches against the sky,

see in the grass thy blossoms shed,

see (nay,
I

taste) thy berries red.

And

shout

like the tempest loud and

free,

Hurrah!

for the wild, wild Cherry-tree !"

Cherry blossoms
trees are,
for

may

be prettier on the cultivated

petals.

tree,

on account of the roseate tinge upon the

Both

when blooming, very

fruit

pleasing, but
is

gathering

arrives there

a vast

when the season difference. Then

48

THE CHASTE TREE.

the garden tree shows the effect of a

the trainer's pains are well

fruit.

Good Education, and rewarded by a rich and delicious

and the educated
habits,
fruit-

Such

difference

is

there between an untaught person

fruit-trees,

who presumes to prune our grower, who has learned how to do his work. The
will

their

various
if

and knows
trees,

former,

allowed to prune

usually

destroy

all

the fruit-bearing branches,

while
tree,

the latter cuts

away those which only exhaust the

abundant and good
fruit.

and
its

retains such as will bear

tree,

The

ornamental
fruit,

in

flower,

deserves our regard for

pleasant

and

is

highly esteemed by the turner and

its

cabinet-maker for the hardness of

wood.

THE CHASTE TREE

This

{Vitex agmis r^j///j). COLDNESS.

Chastity.
is

an autumnal shrub, bearing blue and white flowers

of seven to sixteen inches in length.

in spikes

The
it

dried

leaves are very aromatic.

For

fanciful reasons

has had

assigned to

it

the singular specific

name Agims

Castus,

and

been made the emblem of Coldness and Chastity.

49

THE CHESTNUT TREE.

THE CHESTNUT TREE

ME
"

{Castanca vcscd).ViO

Justice.
flowers

The Chestnut

By thousands have

burst from the forest bowers."

Hemans.

The

fruit

of the Chestnut

is

contained in a green
it

shell,

covered over with prickles, which gives

unattractive appearance.

rough

and

This outward aspect causes persons

who

are not acquainted with the edible character of their

contents to neglect or despise them.

roasted and then eaten
boiled
;

They
is

are

commonly
into bread,

but on the continent they are also

meal, which
it

and ground into

made

cakes, or puddings, hence

seems the
its

fruit

has a right to
Justice.
It

say to those
is

who

overlook

merits,

Do me
In

an excellent tree for hop-poles.

districts
this
is

Kent

and other
exclusively

hop-growing

therefore

almost

cultivated for poles.

THE CHINA ASTER

When
called
this species

{Aster CJLincnsis).N K^YKYY.

was

first

seen in
it

our borders

it

was

the China Aster, because

flowers resembled

came

to us from China,

and

its

the

many

radii of a star.

We
ville

are said to be indebted to a Missionary, one D'lncarto the Jardin de Roi,

by name, who sent some seeds

SO

about 1730.

THE CHINA ASTER.

Tlie plants raised from the seeds sent

by M.

D'Incarville

yielded

only

one variety, and flowers of uniform colour.

the
disc,

Eventually, the velvety florets which surrounded

were doubled, quadrupled, and varied indefinitely by cultivation.

Some have

thought, but erroneously, that the

Chinese were acquainted only with the simple violet-coloured

flower which

had been sent

attract

to us.

They

have, in fact,

all

the

sorts

which

our admiration, and

they

know

how

to

make

use of these varieties so as to form,

by means

of the China Aster, decorations which words cannot ade-

quately describe.

To

prepare the flowers for this purpose,

;

they grow them

to their colour
art that

in pots

they then arrange them according

;

and shades of colour

" I wished," writes

and with such a

fine

they display them as a continuous border, with the

utmost harmony.
" to

Madame

de

la

Tour,

form a similar decoration, a noted traveller having said

to

much
the

me

about them

but there was wanting to secure

full

effect,

a like profusion of flowers, the vast variety

of shades in each colour, which they possessed, and,

these,

beyond

that remarkable Chinese

difficulty.
Still,

patience, which

disregards

every
all,

my

little

display gave gratification to

and many were surprised as well as myself, that such

were
not

decorations

adopted

in

our gardens, and

more
chief
florist

especially in our floral fetes."

As

the

emblem

of variety, the China Aster owes

culture.

its

charms to successful
rainbow.

The

skilful
all

hand of the

has surrounded her golden disc with

the colours of the

In like manner careful study and mental culture

can develope great variety in the character of our natural

51

CINQUEFOIL.

endowments.

Though

majestic and briUiant in appearance,

the China Aster does

follows after her

not presume to rival the rose, but

fled, as if

when her charms have

she would

console us for her regretted absence.

CINQUEFOIL
There
all

{Potentilla).'^YA.ONYJ^
species of Potentilla, so

Daughter.
named
originally

are

many
its

on account of
bear
in

supposed potency
the English

in

medicine.

They
but our

common
range of

name

" Cinquefoil,"

favourite species,

we might say our

our
native

choice favourite,
plants,
is

the

whole

is

the

among common

Cinquefoil {P. rcptans).

This species

not met with every-

where
of

we were most pleased with it in the neighbourhood Cambridge, where it somewhat abounds. Our apprecia;

tion of

it

is

pretty fully expressed in the following lines,

in

which

first

appeared

"Favourite Field Flowers:"

"How

gracefully the Potentilla throws

Its trailing

branches down the rude bank-side,

it

Until they kiss the wavelet as

flows
;

O'er pebbles polished by the crystal tide

Nor

there alone

it

grows, but far and wide

lay,

Its quinate leaves

and golden blossoms

And

deck the borders of each rural way.

beautiful
its

How
At

slender stem,

imbued
and green.
!

With

rich fresh tinge of purple blush

intervals with fme-cut leaves indued,

And

bright-hued flower rising them between

No

plant

more elegant hath ever been

sea-girt island found,
its hills

Within our native

^Mong those

Ijy

whicli

and dales arc crowncc

52

CLEMA TIS.
Of one
weather,
flower, so

species of Cinquefoil

we have
and

read that, in rainy

the
as

leaves
to

draw
a

together,

inchne

over

the

form
sees

kind of parapluic, or umbrella.

the act of a tender mother,

fanciful

mind

in this

carefully
calamities.

shielding

beloved

daughter

from

impending

CLEMATIS. Artifice.
The
of
its

Clematis

is

a great favourite in our gardens, because

their delicious fragrance in

mass of flowers and

trelh's w^ork,

autumn.

It is

a deciduous climber of very rapid growth, and, carefully

or around windows,
is

trained over

very gracefully

ornamental.
rustic arbours,

The

species

have long been

their

used to cover
to adorn a

whence probably

name " Virgin's Bower."

Cowper addressed a few lines to one presented garden seat, by that appellation,
" Thrive, gentle plant!

and weave a bower

for

Mary and

for

And deck

with

many
it

a splendid flower thy foliage large

me, and free."

Keats mentions
"

by the same name,

an autumn blush

The

creeper, mellowing for

And

Virgin's Bcwer, traihng airily."

The

chief of our garden kinds are C. Florida, a Japanese

;

species, with whitish-yellow flowers

C. Viticella, Avith
;

purple

flowers

from

June to

September

and

C.

Jiammula, an

importation from France, which puts forth a profusion of white highly odoriferous flowers during the latter part of

summer and

until the frosty nights destroy its

53

bloom.

We
r

-:::=Q-

CLEMA TIS.
have an indigenous species,
in
C.

Vitalba,

not

seldom found
localities.

chalk or limestone
is

soils,

in

hedges and retired

This

known

as "Traveller's Joy," probably because,

trees, its festoons

by

climbing up and about

form a leafy bower,

which

in

the heat of a summer's

it

day (with the thermometer*

weary pedes-

at 85^.5, as

has been this 20th of June, 1868, in the shade)

may

afford a comparatively cool shelter to the

trian rejoiced to find so

welcome a
if

resting-place.

The
if

juices of different kinds of Clematis are very acrid,

causing irritating inflammation

continuously, ulceration.
juice
to

applied to the skin, and

are told that beggars

We

use

the

procure

ulcerations,

that

they

may expose

and rouse the commiseration of the charitable, and obtain money. Cowper accuses gipsies of such artifices.
their sores,

He

is

describing a gipsy encampment, and, dilating upon

of gaining subsistence, adds,

their

modes

" Great skill have they in palmistry,

To

conjure clean

and more away the gold they touch,

into its place
:

Conveying worthless dross

Loud when they

*
*

beg,

dumb
^j

only

when they
%

steal.

feigning sickness

oft,

They swathe

the forehead, drag the limping limb,

artificial sores."

And

vex their flesh with

The Clematis well represents Artifice on we would rather think of it as a graceful

a pleasant shade,
fragrance.

this

account, but

climber, affording
its

and gratifying us with

very delicious

* Radiating Thermometer on grass, exposed to the direct rays of the

sun, stood at
148''.

7 Fahr.

#^

^^

/^

l'(>////n/)//n-

\/i/fin',i/,/

/7/Cf/Sf////:v /:\r

THE CLOVE TREE.

THE CLOVE TREE

The
It

{Caryophyllus aromaticus).

Dignity.

Aromatic Clove Tree

into

is

a native of the Moluccas.

was brought
cultivation.

England
fruit,

in 1797,

and there are specimens

moist or bark stove for
well

in
its its

English gardens.

It requires a

The

which

is

known

to us from

somewhat resembles a nail, wherefore it is called Clous de Girofiier, by our French neighbours. There are divers preparations from it sold by our druggists, which have the property of mitigating some of the many pains which we have to bear. The inhabitants of the Molucca islands are said to use cloves as marks of distinction. They distinguish their native notabilities by speaking of them
use as a culinary spice,
respectively as having one, two, three, or four cloves, just
as

we speak

of the

titles

of our aristocracy, the recapitu-

lation of

which at the funeral of men of renown, occupies

In the absence of this
tree,
its

considerable time.

flowers

and

its

fruit,

from our gardens, the

in

Clove

Pink,

whose

fragrance puts us
stituted as the

mind of the
of Dignity.

spice,

may

be well sub-

emblem

THE COLUMBINE
This
flower,

{Aqitilegia viilagris)-.

Folly.
as

curious flower

is

not rare
It
is

in a

wild state in woods, a borderits

plantations,

and hedgerows.
it

cultivated

when

frequently becomes double, and

colour
It

varies

from dark purple to crimson, pink, and white.

^0=

THE COLUMBINE.
often

remains

single.

We

brought a

{q.\n

seeds

with

us

from Godalming, sowed them on a bank

laurels, the

among common
and has bloomed
last
is

Mahonia and other

its

shrubs, and the plant has

maintained
regularly

original position, uncared for,

every succeeding
It

year

for

the

seventeen

summers.
us in

was

this

year quite white.

There

only one
it

solitary stem, with its seed-vessels

now

ripening, but

puts
in

mind oi

its

parent-plant,
flourished.

and of the beautiful spot

which that parent

to

The

plant

seems to have

been called Columbine from the resemblance of the flowers

doves, and

Aquilegia on account of the inverted spurs

being thought to resemble the talons of a bird of prey.

flower, as

The
worn

a whole, reminds some of the cap and

bells

by Columbine in a pantomime, and has been considered a meet emblem of Folly.

The Columbine was known

says
"

to our early poets.

Chaucer

Come

forth

now

with thin eyen Columbine;"

and Spenser speaks of two

different coloured flowers,

" Bring hither the pincke

and purple Cullambine

;"

as a wild flower
tints,

it

has been mentioned as of three different

" In pink or purple hues arrayed, ofttimcs indeed in white,

We

see, within the

woodland glade, the Columbine delight

erect, the plant

Some three feet high, with stem And at the summit, now deflect,

unaided grows,
I'ivld I'loTvcrs.

the strange-formed flower blows."

56

THE CORIANDER.

THE CORIANDER
The name
the odour of

{Coriandrum sativum).

Hidden

Merit.
of this annual was given to
it

on account of
like

the leaves, which

the

is

offensive

that

of

the insect which

ripe

Greek word designates.

The

dried

seeds,

however, are most agreeable in smell.

They

are

aromatic

and

carminative,

and on that account are

compounded with some medicines to conceal their disagreeable taste and effects. The confectioner uses them in sweetmeats, and in some kinds of plum-bread. The Peruvians are fond of
its

flavour in

most of
leaves

their dishes.

The

repulsive odour of the

tends to hinder the

;

discovery of the great utility of the seeds

properties are known, deserve
often do

which,

when

their

our high estimation.

How

we

feel

repelled

countenance
time,

of persons,
to

by the plain, repulsive, or ugly when we see them for the first
to ourselves,

and are disposed

"
I

murmur

do not
I

like you,

The reason why

But,
don't like

Doctor Fell cannot tell, you. Doctor Fell ;"

!

and
ing

yet, after a time, if circumstances

have led to our know-

them

better,

how

frequently has the ugliness

become

less

repulsive,

the plain face even pleasing, through the influence

of the hidden wealth of mind, and heart, and character, then

revealed,

which erewhile

w^as

concealed
!

from

us

by the

apparent displeasing exterior of the casket

S7

CORN POPPY.

CORN POPPY
The
ance,

{Papaver RJieas)

Qo^^O\.\.i:\o^,
In

several species of

Poppy

are

showy

their appear-

and one yields the singular drug or medicine, opium, which, valuable in the hands of the skilful practitioner, is most
injurious to those

who have become

addicted to

its

use as a

stimulant.

We

cannot enter here into the consideration of

it,

the fearful consequences of indulging in

chief

nor of the mis-

done by

its

too free administration as a medicine, in

is

cases where there

no hope of ultimate recovery.

its

We

are,

nevertheless, sensible of

great utility in lulling the sense of

pain

in

procuring sleep for those

who would

otherwise be
in

sleepless,

through calamity, or adversity, or bitter sorrow,

Vv-ay

whatever

produced

a sleep beneficial, yet neither so re-

freshing, nor so strength-restoring, as that

which nature brings

;

to the wearied frame of the

sound

in

health

to those

whose

minds are content, and whose conscience is void of offence. It is as the inducer of sleep that the Corn Poppy is made the

emblem

of Consolation

and justly
ills,

so, for sleep

is,

indeed,

the great healer of

a sorrowing heart.

many

and the great consoler of many

Shakspeare puts into the mouth of King

Henry

IV. an apostrophe to sleep, which

in

we can

fully

under-

stand to have passed,

substance, through the

mind of a
turbulent

monarch
times
:

troubled

with

the cares

of State

in

"

How many
Are
at this

thousands of

hour asleep

my poorest O sleep, O
I

subjects
L^entle sleep,

Nature's soft nurse,

how
58

liave

frighted thee,

-0=:=

CORN POPPY.
That thou no more
wilt

'1

weigh

my

1
eyehds down
7f
-Jf

And
r

steep

my
7f

senses in forgetfuhiess?
-',-

-;f

thou dull god,

why
-if

licst

thou with the vile

In loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch?

jf

*
lies

-^

-jf

Uneasy

the head that wears a crown."

Sleep
less,

relaxes

the animal frame, so that

are so dulled that

it

becomes helpbears a close

and the

five senses

it

resemblance to the insensibility of the dead.

Hence Sleep
the hero

and Death are regarded as twin-brothers.

Sarpedon
Jove,
fell in

When

the plains of Troy, Apollo, at the bidding of

went and forthwith drew the divine Sarpedon from

javelins,

amid the
flowing

bore him far away, w^ashed him

in

the

river,

and anointed him with ambrosia, and wrapped

around him an immortal robe; and anon

"To To

two swift-bearers gave him then in charge, Sleep and Death, twin brothers in their arms Ihey bore him safely to Lycia's wide-spread plain." Homer {Lord Derby's Trans).
;

The

species

named

at the

head of

this article

seems to have
"

been named Rheas with reference to Rhea, or Cybele, wife of

Cronos, mother of Zeus, or Jove, and, therefore,
the Gods."

mother of
and repre-

She was worshipped by the

ancients,

sented as wearing a wreath of Poppy-heads.

59

THE CORNELIAN CHERRY.

^

'^Uii

1
{Cornus sanguinea).

THE CORNELIAN CHERRY

Duration.

The wood
hence
its

of this tree

is

said to be as hard as horn {cormt)

it

generic name.

Virgil tells us that

;

was used

in the

manufacture of implements of war and it is related of Romulus, the mythic founder of Rome, that, when he had

marked out the boundary of the embryo

javelin over

city,

he hurled a

Mount
;

Palatine
it

that the javelin shaft

was of

cornel

wood

that

penetrated the earth, took root, grew

and thus became a tree This prodigy was regarded as a happy omen, foreshowing the
up, put forth branches

and

leaves,

strength and duration

of the

infant

empire

Surely the

author of Baron Munchausen must have taken a hint from

this.

The wood
called

is

applied to a variety of useful purposes.

It is

Dogwood. As a shrub, it is a good emblem of Hardness and Duration; for in plantations where the lower branches
have perished,
flourish there, even

under the drip of

trees, this will

and

fill

up the vacant spaces.

to

The Greeks worshipped Apollo,

this
tree,

whom

they consecrated
talent.
all

because he presided over works of

It

is,

therefore,

an emblem

worthy of adoption by
literature, oratory,
leaf,
it

who
;

are

determined to cultivate
if

and poetry

since,

they

would

win the laurel

in

must be by patient

enduring labour,

study and

in

persistent rcilcction.

THE COWSLIP.

THE COWSLIP

{Priimda

^^r/j-). Early Joys.

meadows in the merry months of May and June, needs only to be named to recall to mind our early joys, when we roamed at will

FLOWER

SO profusely scattered over our

gathering Cowslips with eager delight, and breathing their

delicious fragrance.

How

merrily did our great Shakspeare

fancied fairies dwelt in

sing

when he thought of them, and

their golden cups,

"

Where

the bee sucks, there lurk

In a Cowshp's bell I he There I crouch when owls do

cry."

Miss Taylor,

in

her verses entitled

''

Leafy Spring," betrays

her fondness for these charming flowers,

"

On

pastures wide and green,

upon a thousand stems,

for precious

Fit for a fairy

queen

to

wear

gems,

Young Cowshps With sweetest breath and golden

smile at earth and sky,

eye."

But why should we say more of

of the happiness of childhood
age, spent
1

this

beauteous remembrancer
one, who, at that golden
it

No

any time

in the

country when

was

in

bloom, can
it is

have

failed to

partake of those early joys of which

such

an appropriate token.

6i

THE

CROCUS.

^^^t"

THE CROCUS
The Snowdrop
us that the season

{Crocus vcrnns).

PLEASURES

OF HoPE.

is
is

the

emblem

of Consolation, reminding
will

approaching when blooming flowers

;

again deck the earth in beautiful profusion

with her atten-

dant comes up the Crocus, which

imparts to our hope of

it

returning spring such emotions of pleasure, that

may

well

represent those agreeable sensations which pervade the

mind

and golden, and violet-coloured flowers bursting through the earth, not seldom covered with snow, which gives additional zest to our gratification. Poets
see the
purple,

when we

have at
"

speaks of Crocus and Hyacinth," and Milton mentions them together

all
it
:

times inwoven

in their

verse

Homer

in like

manner

Thomson

associates

it

with the Snowdrop

" Fair-handed Spring

unbosoms every grace, Throws out the Snowdrop and the Crocus first

;"

So, also. Miss Taylor, in speaking of the leafy spring,

"

Above the garden beds, watched well by Snowdrops with milky heads peep to the

lady's eye,

softening sky,

And wTlcome

Crocuses shoot up,

cup."

With gilded spike and golden

To

Miss Twamlcy's imagination the Crocus was a right royal

flower,

"The

regal Crocus, in purple

life

and gold,

Bursts with

from

its

leafy fold."

And
call

elsewhere, fancying the of the robin

in his

Snowdrop
62

to

come

forth at the

merry song, she

writes,

THE CROWN IMPERIAL.

"And presently the Crocus heard their greeting, and awoke, And donned with care her golden robe and emerald-coloured

# # The Crocus brought her sisters too, the purple, pied, and white; And the redbreast warbled merrily above the flowerets bright."

*'>***
it

cloak

Bernard Barton looked upon

v/hich the dove brought to

as an
in

Noah

the

emblem of the leaf ark, when hoping for

it
:

the subsidence of the waters, and thus addressed

"

Thine

is

the flower of hope,

whose hue

Is bright with

coming

joy."

So

poets,

and

all

who

delight in flowers, have

first

felt

a gush of

pleasure

when

these bright things have

presented themspring.

selves in the parterre, a promise of the

coming

THE CROWN IMPERIAL

{Fritillaria Imperialis).

Power.
Fritillaria, the generic name of the chequered Daffodil,
or Snake's-head Lily,

was given

to

it

from

its

resemblance to
is

the

Roman
we
rise

dice-box.
its

Our indigenous
it

species

called

Meleagris, because

markings are

like those of Guinea-fowl,

hence
flower.

find

people speaking of

as

the

Guinea-hen

Its tulip-shaped

cup hangs down inverted, which has

given

to

the absurd

name

of

**

The Drooping Young

Man,"

in

some
was

parts of the country.

It is a

common
it

plant in

Norfolk and Suffolk, and we have met with

shire.

in

Cambridge-

It

at

one time so abundant near Kew, that a

that royal residence and Mortlake, retains
63

meadow between

CELER

'-LEA

VED CROW EO O T.
Meadow. Into
genus was

the appellation of Snake's-head

the

this

Crown Imperial admitted. It was brought from Persia in 1596. It is very ornamental. The bright yellow flowers hang
an inverted position, the petals curling outwards and up-

in

wards, each flower closely resembling a turban.

The

flowers are
feet high,

studded round the stem, which

is

sometimes four

and are surmounted by a cluster of

to

rich green leaves.

The

general appearance of the plant in bloom might well suggest

Cowper

to write,
"

The

Lily's height
fair

bespoke command,
;

Imperial Flower

She seemed designed

for Flora's

hand,

The

sceptre of her power."

In each flower of the

several drops of fluid,
corolla until
it is

Crown Imperial has been observed

which adhere to the bottom of the

faded.

Then

the pedicles of the flowers raise

themselves for the seeds to ripen.

*'

We

are gravely told that

the performances of the six stamina are very curious.

are remote from the pistil
;

Now
same

all

anon three approach

at once

to

do

loyal

homage then the other three draw near " purpose, when the former have retired
it
;
! !

for the

CELERY-LEAVED CROWFOOT
scela'atus).

{Ranunculus

INGRATITUDE.
is

The

specific

name

of this plant, which

"

usually included
its

under the
properties.

common term
It is

Buttercups," marks

pernicious

one of the most acrid of the genus, quickly

It
is

causing great inflammation.

used

among

other herbs,

64

CELERY-LEAVED CROWFOOT.
by vagabond mendicants,
indiscriminate almsgivers
to produce ulcers in the legs, that

may

commiserate,
its

and give them

money.

Clare thus alludes to

"
I

ungrateful qualities,

wander out and rhyme dewy morning's infancy Hangs on each blade of grass and every tree, And sprents the red thighs of the humble bee,

What hour

the

Who Who

'gins

betimes unwearied minstrelsy;

and most divinely sups With every flower save golden butter-cups, On whose proud bosoms he will never go. But passes by with scarcely How do ye do?' Since in their show^^, shining, gaudy cells, Haply the summer's honey never dwells."
breakfasts, dines,
'

Rammailtis

scelerattis

may

be turned

into

the English
is

words, the detestable Crozufoot ; and since nothing

more

common, and nothing more professedly detestable, than Ingratitude, it is a most fit emblem of that fault in human nature, a fault hateful in all, but still more hateful and
heinous in a child.
into the

Shakspeare puts the following words

mouth of King Lear,

" Ingratitude, thou marble-hearted fiend,

More hideous when thou showest Than the sea-monster "

!

thee in a child

because of the loving care and unlimited self-denial which

parents exercise in promoting the
welfare of
pernicious
their

happiness

and

future

offspring;

even so

we

are told that the

intensified,

properties

of this plant

become

by

the culture and carefulness which the gardener

may

bestow

upon

it.

THE DAHLIA.

THE DAHLIA
This
subjects.

{Dahlia sjiperflna).\\x

GRATITUDE

EXCEEDS YOUR CaRE.

favourite florist's flower,
is

a Swedish botanist,
It

well
to

named in honour of Dahl, known to every lover of Flora's

into

seems
its

have been imported

France

about 1789, and

was nearly confined to that Then it was dispersed country until the peace of 18 14. over Germany, Prussia, and Denmark and found its Avay into England, where it soon became an object of great care and
cultivation
;

emulation, as well as a fruitful source of profit to the

Being" a native of the verv hot climate of Mexico,

florist.
it

was

treated as

if

too tender for the comparatively cold climate of

its

was tested in the greenhouse, it was and subjected there to an abundant supply of air thus acclimatized by degrees, until it flourished in some
P^urope
;

soon

constitution

localities for eight

months, from the beginning of July to

in

the

end of February,
less

the open

air

of sunny

France.

Not

hardy

is

it,

proportionately, in dear England, but

here, so soon as the nights of

Autumn become

frosty, the

beauty of
perish,

its

flowers fades,

its

herbaceous leaves and stems

and the tubers require to be exhumed and stored away as experience has taught the cultivator, if we would keep the living principle undestroyed until the succeeding
spring.

Martin has written of the Dahlia's endurance of

:

various climates, thus

"Though severed from its native clime, Where skies arc ever bright and clear,
66

THE DAHLIA.
And Nature's face is all sublime, And beauty clothes the fragrant

air,

The Dahlia will each glory wear. With tints as bright and leaves as green;

And winter, in his savage mien. May breathe forth storm, yet
:

she will bear

With all and in the summer ray. With blossoms deck the brow of day."

The Dahlia needs but

an abundance of flowers
taste for
;

little

care after planting, yielding

but the amateur

favourites, will,

who has

a genuine

beauty

in

his

if

he can possibly

devote the necessary time to such a purpose, so train his

plants,

and

reduce the number of their incipient bloom,

finest

as

to

produce the

flowers which they are

capable

of bearing. pleasure
in

And
their

in

so doing he will realize an enhanced

possession,

when

like

Longfellow's Ser

Frederigo, he
"

may
Dahlias in the garden walk
his guests;"

Among the
Have
left

not fearing that they will complain of his negligence,

his

in

absence,

in

the

management
shall

of

his

parterre.
will

On

the contrary,

when he

have returned he
his flowers,

receive

their gratulations
rich

on the beauty of
in

reward he has secured

and on the such a charming display of

lasting bloom.

67

F 2

THE DAISY.

THE DAISY
Wordsworth
emblem
not without reason.

{Bcllis pcrcnnis).

INNOCENCE.
it

calls the

Daisy "the Poet's darling," and

has been

By
;

a prose poet

made

the

of Innocence
:

here

we have an account

of the

cause of this

"Malvina, bent over the tomb of Fingal, bewailed the

valiant Oscar,

and

also Oscar's son, wdio died

ere he

saw

the
"

light.

The virgins of Morven, to came about her, honouring by

"
*

allay Malvina's grief, often

their songs the death of the

hero and the death of the new-born.

The hero
his

is

fallen,'

they sang

'

he

is

fallen
;

and the
sickness,

sound of which

arms has re-echoed over the plain

takes

away courage
his

old age, which discredits

;

the
!

deeds of the brave, can no more reach him

he

is

fallen

and the sound of

"
'

arms has re-echoed over the

plain.'

Admitted

to the palace of the shades

where

his ances-

tors dwell, he drinks with

them of the cup

of immortality.
;

beloved of Oscar
is

no longer shed tears of sorrow

fallen!
plain.'
: *

the

hero
"

fallen!

he

is

and the sound of

his

arms

has re-echoed over the

Your Then with softer voice, they said again to her child, who never saw the light, has never known the bitterhis young soul, borne aloft on glittering wings, ness of life reaches with the first dawn of day the mansions of light. The souls of children, A\ho, as well as he, ha\c, without
;

knowing sorrow, burst through the

68

fetters

of

niortal

life,

THE DAISY.
him the mysterious gates of the fountain of Flora. There, the band of innocents, knowing nought of evil, are continually engaged
reclined

upon golden

clouds, appear

and open

to

folding up in sheaths, which cannot be seen

by mortal

eyes,

the germs of flowers w^hich every succeeding Spring shall

cause to bloom.

Every day,

this

infantine legion scatters

over the earth those delicate buds, as the dews of rosyfingered morning fall; a
inclose

countless host

of
in

delicate
its

hands

the

rose

in

her bud,
in

the grain

sheath, the

huge branches of an oak

"
'

a single acorn, and sometimes

a whole forest in one invisible seed-vessel.

We

have seen, oh, Malvina

regret,

we have
fields

seen the child

;

which you vainly

cradled upon a fleecy cloud

he

drew near
flowers
!

us,

and shed over our

!

a harvest of

new

Look, oh Malvina
disc,

among them we
it

distinguish

one with a golden

of silver
;

surrounded as
its

Avere with plates

;

a light soft purple tips

delicate rays

poised
it

among
be a

the grass by a gentle breeze, one might fancy

child sporting itself in the verdant

to

little

mead.

Cease
in

from

tears, oh,

Malvina

armour, and the flower of

The hero is dead, clad your bosom has given

his

a new^

flower to the hills of Cromla.'

"The

sweetness of these songs allayed the grief of Malvina

she took her golden harp and sang in harmony with

notes, the
"

its

song of the new-born.

that

From

day

forth, the

maidens of Morven have conIt

is,

secrated the

little

Daisy to early infancy.

;

they say,

the flower of Innocency

the flower of the new-born babe."

child's flower
:

Cowper

refers to the

Daisy as the
69

:==0

THE DAISY.
" in the spring

That

calls the
all

and play-time of the year unwonted villager abroad

ones, a sportive train,

With

her

little

To gather king-cups in the yellow-mead, And prank their hair with Daisies ;"
and how intimately
it

is

associated with child-life,

is

shown
India,

by the effect of its appearance on a Missionary whose feelings James Montgomery poetized
:

in

" Thrice welcome,

little

English flower!

Of early scenes beloved by me, While happy in my father's bower,

Thou shalt the blithe memorial be; The fairy sports of infancy,
Home,
Youth's golden age, and manhood's prime. countiy, kindred, friends, with thee

Are mine

in this far clime.

Thrice welcome,
I'll

little

English flower

rear thee with a trembling

hand

for the April

sun and shower,

The sweet May dews of that fair land, Where Daisies, thick as star-light, stand
In every walk!

Thy

that here might shoot and thy buds expand, hundred from one root !"
scions,

Miss Twanilcy had very joyous associations

with Daisies and the days of her childhood,
" For one glance

in

her mind

Of wondering love we lifted to the vault Of the o'er orbed sky, have we not bent Full many a gaze of pleased affection down
70

THE DAISY.
To
Of
the green
field,

starred over with

its

hosts

Daisies, countless as the blades of grass,

'Midst which they seemed to look and laugh at us?

-^

-Sf-

Daisies, with their rose-tipped silvery rays

Spreading around the yellow boss within

And

some, most prized, that had not yet displayed

circle,

Their fairy

but emerging

new

From

their green hermitage,

seemed as they blushed

Beneath the ardent sun's admiring gaze."

Burns says,
"

in describing the contents of his Posy,

The Daisy

's

for simplicity

and unaffected

air,"

the

mark
is

of that genuine purity

and

unsuspecting

faith,

which
race,

the essential characteristic of the best type of our

is

and which

seen in the child.

Miss

Twamley

says

of it,
" Rich in
its

ignorance

is

Infancy,

And every added year but makes more poor, By added knowledge, childhood's guileless wealth,
The wealth
of an unblighted, unchilled soul."

Burns also
just

calls

it

lowly, an

epithet

which the character

spoken of

may

always claim,

" All beneath th' unrivalled rose

The

lowly Daisy sweetly blows."

We
Poet's
for
it
;

have seen that Wordsworth claims the Daisy as the

darling
;

other poets have had

the same fondness

Chaucer says,
71

THE DAISY.
"

of

all

the floiircs in the

I

mede

Than

and rede, Soch that men callcn Daisies in our town, To hem I have so great affection.
love
floures white

most these

As

sayd
in

erst,

whan comen

is

the Male,

bedde there daweth me no daie, I n'am up and walking in the mede To see this floure ayenst the Sunne sprede; Whan it up riseth early by the morrow, That blissful sight softeneth all my sorrow."

That That

my

and, as when, ere rosy-fingered

morn tinged the

eastern sky,

he

rose, so
"

As soon

as ever the

Sunne ginneth west

To

it will go to rest. For feare of night, so hateth the darknesse, Here chere is plainly spred in the brightness

seen this floure,

how

Of the Sunne,
Shelley
is

for there

it

will unclose.

reminded, by

its

ever-blooming,

of the (to
as

us)

never-setting

constellation,

commonly known

Charles's-

Wain

" Daisies, those pearled Arcturi of the earth.

The

constellated flower that never sets."

Again, our poets commonly regard the Daisy as Nature's

Favourite
;

thus Wordsworth,
"

now my own
every
rill

delights

make,

My

thirst at

can slake,
"
!

And

gladly Nature's love partake

Of the swccl Daisy

Again he addresses

it,

72

THE DAISY.
" Bright flower, whose

home

is

everywhere

pilgrim bold in Nature's care,

all

And

the long year through, the heir

or sorrow,

Of joy

Methinks that there abides in thee Some concord with humanity, Giv'n to no other flower I see

The

forest

through

Burns

in like
"

manner,

Now Nature

spreads her sheets

James Montgomery,
(they should be called
"

o'

Daisies white
lea."

Out owre the grassy

in his verses entitled the Field

Flower

The

Daisy), says of

it,

this small flower, to Nature dear,

While moon and stars their courses run, Wreathes the whole circle of the year, Companion of the sun/
'Tis Flora's

page

in

every place,
fair.

In every season, fresh and

It

opens with perennial grace, And blossoms everywhere.

waste and woodland, rock and plain, Its humble buds unheeded rise The rose has but a summer reign.
;

On

The Daisy never

dies."

The
where

profusion with which the Daisy

is

is

scattered every-

noticed

by our

poets.

Milton writes of

"medows
;

trim with Daisies pied" (variegated);

Spenser, ''the grassie

grounde with daintie Daisies dight" (dressed out)

73

THE DAISY.
Taylor,
''

Daisies enamel (variegate) the plain

all

;"

Burns,

''

the

bank, with Daisies

"

beset;" Shelley says,

the sinuous paths of lawn and moss,

led through the garden along

Which
*

and across
-jf

*
all

-jf^

*
;

Were

paved with Daisies

flower,

and Clare addresses the

" Daisies, ye flowers of lowly birth,

Embroiderers of the carpet earth,

That stud the velvet sod

and Davors, who seems

Walton, and delighted
in

to

have been a friend of Izaak

those

angling, speaking of

who

preferred other sports, says,

" Let them that
list, these pastimes still pursue, such pleasing fancies feed their fill

And on
So

I the fields

And daily by fresh Among the Daisies." and

up
"
last,

and meadows green may view, rivers walk at will,

but not

least.

Mason Good, looking through nature

to nature's

God,

writes,

Not worlds on
here

worlds, in phalanx deep, need

we

to prove that

God

is

The

Daisy, fresh from winter's sleep,

tells

of His

Hand

in lines as clear

For who but

He who

arched the

skies,

and poured the day-spring's

living flood,

Wondrous alike in all He tries, could rear the Daisy's purple bud; Mould its green cup, its wiry stem, its fringed border nicely spin. And cut the gold-cmbossM gem that, set in silver, gleams within
:

And

fling

it

unrestrained and

free, o'er hill,

That man, where'er he walks may

see,

and dale, and desert the stamp of God ?"

sod,

74

THE DAMASK ROSE.

DAMASK ROSE
The
to

{Rosa Damascend).?>Y.h.\5i:Y

Ever New.
They

varieties of the

Damask Rose
In

are numerous.

are universal favourites.

May

they begin and continue

bloom

until

Autumn.

In France some varieties are in

flower in every season of the year,

whence they are

called

Roses de Quatre-Saisons, and on that account are the suitable

emblem
first,

of Beauty Ever New.

The Monthly Rose

bloom
in

begins

and continues the

latest, to

England, and

therefore adequately supplies with us the place of the

de Quatre-Saisons.
if

It

flowers until

Rose checked by frosts, and

artificial

protected
its

yield us

by glass, and aided by bloom up to Christmas.

heat,

it

will

DANDELION
The
its

{Lcontodeii taraxaciun).

Oracle.
all.

bright-hued

Dandelion

is

known

to

It

opens

petals to the earliest rays of the sun, a peculiarity Elliott

*'

has not forgotten to notice in enumerating

of the lane,"
"

the wonders

And

here the sun-flower of the spring,

in morning's

Burns bright

beam."

Moore
closing

alludes to

its

unfolding to the rays of the sun, and

when they
At

are withdrawn or intercepted,

enamoured of the sun, hangs her head and weeps, And shrouds her sweetness up, and keeps
his departure

" She,

IS

DANDELION.
Sad
vigils, like

a cloistered nun,

Till his reviving ray appears,

Waking

her beauty as he dries her tears."

The hour when

it is

the Dandelion opens and closes being known,

;

a shepherd's time-piece

Howitt, speaking of

it,

says,

" Dandelion, with globe of down,

The schoolboy's clock in every town, Which the truant puffs amain, To conjure lost hours back again."
This globe of

down

is

also the

Oracle to every incipient

lover of either sex.

The youth

not yet in his 'teens, meeting

fate.

with one of

them, begins to tempt his

He

plucks

the seed-stem from the plant, and puffs

sphere,

alternately

saying,

"She

loves

away the feathered me!" "She loves

last
is

me

not!"

thinking of the pretty face and sparkling eyes

his

which enchanted
party.

throbbing heart at the

juvenile

Then, according as one of these sentences

its

uttered

as the last sphere leaves

to
his

native station, so
is

is

the answer

somewhat like those of the Delphic Oracle, very ambiguous, and capable So he breathes of being interpreted as the inquirer desires.
anxious inquiry.
gently or fiercely, softly or sharply,
dissipate the fond illusion
lest

The response

the response should

which

is

adding a new and delicious

charm

to his

young

life.

76

DARNEL.

DARNEL
Darnel
it,

{Lolium temidentitm).

Vice.
warm
climates

is

the

emblem

of Vice, because in

together with the barren oat, grows so thickly in the

as to choke

fields

good wheat.
is

Its

stem much resembles

that of wheat,
it,

whence there

great difficulty in eradicating

in

an early stage of growth, without injuring the good

corn.

On

this account,

as well as for
in a

other reasons,

it

is

thought that the word tares

well-known parable should

Shelley

be Darnel, as giving a more accurate meaning.

names

it

among

offensive vegetation,

"

the mandrakes, and toadstools, and docks, and Darnels,

like the

Rose

dead from

their buried charnels."

DEAD LEAVES. Melancholy.

"

Sadness.

The Dead Leaves strew

the forest walk,

;

And The frost hangs blackening on the stalk, The dewdrops fall in frozen showers." Brainard.
withered are the pale wild-flowers

Near

the end of

September we have abundant

indica-

tions of the
their flowers

approach of winter.
;

The

trees

have displayed
;

flowers have

produced

their fruit

the

fruit,

ripened

by

the summer's sun, has been gathered, and confor use in winter.

sumed, or stored up, or preserved

the thick vapours are condensed
leaves,

Now
their

upon our

trees,

and

once so vividly green, become various in hue, tawny,

11

DITTANY.

yellow, brown, lemon, and orange, as well as of divers shades

of colour.

Our

planet has, in

its

course,

drawn nearer

to

the sun, and the hours

when we enjoy
faded
leaves
forest

his

light are daily

lessened, the days are not so

warm, the nights grow colder

fall

even to freezing, and

the

continuously.

The paths them. The

has
fled,

of garden,

field,

and

are

strewed with

beautiful Spring has gone, the brilliant

Summer

the changing

Autumn

is

fast passing,

and a sense

of sadness pervades the mind, and a weight of melancholy

depresses us, as the dead leaves remind us that "all that's

bright

must

fade."

Some
;

friends

we

before, leaving us

behind

while

we

in

must go on turn must pass away,

love

and leave others who

may

grieve for us.

Yet again

shall

Winter give way

so with sadness
to consolation,

to Spring, the fields shall

become verdant,

flowers shall flourish, birds shall sing, all nature shall rejoice

and melancholy

they too shall give way

and comfort, and be followed by happiness

the contrast.

made more enjoyable by

DITTANY
When

{Origamim Dictavuuis).

Birth.
birth,
light,

Juno took charge of children at their assumed as a surname, Lucina (as bringing to
life).

she
i.e.

At such

times she wore a wreath of Dittany.

its

The
It

pleasant fragrance of this shrub, and

medicinal qualities,

won
is

the favour of

the ancients and exact our regard.

Its generic
it

indigenous to Candia, or Crete.

name

signi-

cs the

Juy of the Mountain, a name

78

fully merits,

//////'

/III////'

/ln(> /','oxr

(i(i/-t/i'//

lii('nni//r

DODDER.
pretty spikes of flowers and pleasant perfume are indeed
it

its

the joy of the places

thrives

in.

One

species,

commonly

known

as

Marjoram,

is

a favourite culinary herb, rendering

to the

our dishes

more

relishing

epicurean palate of the

Englishman.

DODDER
The
until

{Cusaita

Eiiropceci).

BASENESS.
lie

seeds of this genus, falling on the ground,

dormant
and
It

Spring.

They
If

then

form

their

slender

stem
perish.

fibrous roots.

no other plant be near, these

slender branches.

usually, however, attaches itself to

some neighbouring

plant,

and entwines around

it

it

its

At

intervals

protrudes
acute
It

glandular

apex, which
pierce the

soon puts forth a

radicle

enough

to

bark of the plant to

it

which
this

adheres, and the fluids of which

is

absorbs.

When
and
has

connexion

fully established, the

die,

original

roots

stem of the Dodder

insinuated itself

and

it

becomes a true parasite

it

basely feeding on the vitals of the plant into which

THE DOG ROSE

Of
the

{Rosa ^^;m^^). Simplicity.

Roses of June none afford

such

wide-spread
itself to

pleasure as the

Dog

Rose.

It

does not confine

in the

few places, but decorates every hedge

simple beauty, and
fills

country with
it

the
79

air

around

with most

THE DOG ROSE.

delicious perfume.
eye,

When

the

first

of

its

kind

meets our

we

are ready to exclaim with Mrs. Howitt,

" Welcome, oh

welcome once again,

all

Thou

dearest of

the laughing flowers,

That open

their odorous

bosoms when

The summer

birds are in their bowers.

There is none that I love, sweet gem, like thee, So mildly through the green leaves stealing For I seem as thy delicate flush I see, In the dewy haunts of my youth to be And a gladsome youthful feeling
;

Springs to

my

heart, that not all the glare

Of

the blossoming East could

awaken there;"
of,

And

at these times,

when we

think

and look round upon,

many

of the beauties of Flora's kingdom,

we

are disposed

to agree with her in preferring this flower,

and

say,

"

more than
On

all,

the sweet wild-rose,

Starring each bush in lanes and glades,

Smiles in each lovelier

tint that

glows

the cheeks of England's peerless maids."

It is
its

a most fitting

emblem

of Simplicity, since

it

displays

charms,

now

of the faintest blush, anon of richer roseate

all,

hues, for the enjoyment and gratification of

its

not confining

treasures to the enrichment of a select few.

80

EBONY.

EBONY. Blackness.
Pluto,
" Pie

or Hades,

is

said to

sit

upon a throne of Ebony

in

with his consort Persephone, at his court

has a heart as black as Ebony,"
is

Pandemonium.

not an

uncommon

when one is spoken of who is beHeved to have done some great wickedness, or committed some
expression,
act of

gross deception.
fact,

This would seem to have arisen

is

from the

that

Ebony
its

the heart-wood
its

of a

tree,

the alburnum being of

a pale hue,

foliage soft

and of

downy

whiteness, while

flowers are beautiful

and showy.

THE EGLANTINE
The
specially the

{Rosa riibiginosa)

Poetry.
games
it

Eglantine, or Sweet-briar Rose,

flower of poets.

is

regarded as being
floral
is

In the

awarded as the prize

the Poet's

for the best production in praise of the

pleasures of study, and the charms of oratory.

is it

But not only

and
its

flower, for, thriving in every situation,

universally admired and appreciated, both for

fragrance,

permanent

and the beauty and elegance of

it

its

simple flowers

in their season,

is

a most fitting

emblem
it

of poetry.

How

accurately does M. de Boisjolin speak of

in these lines,

" Fleur chere k tous les cceurs, elle pare k la fois

Et

le

chaume du pauvre

et le

marbre des

rois
;

Elle orne tous les ans la beaute la plus sage

Le prix de Finnocence en
8i

est aussi

rimage;"

THE EGLANTINE.
and
like

it,

genuine poetry, which appeals to the affections and

sings of the feelings belonging to our

fully appreciated,

common
it

humanity,

is

and therefore

fully delighted in, as well

by

who becomes acquainted with by crowned heads who read it at leisure

the cottager
palaces.

by

hearing, as

in

their splendid

was the Poet's flower /^r excellence ; others were disregarded by him when that was at hand,

To Cunningham,

it

all

" Yes, every flower that blows,

Till this
It

enchanting Rose had fixed

passed unheeded by, my wandering eye

scented every breeze that wantoned o'er the stream, Or trembled through the trees to meet the morning beam."

Landor, unacquainted, perhaps, with the

poets have simply
plainingly,
"

many

passages where
if

named

the Sweetbriar, asks, as

com-

My briar,
Thou

that smelledst sweet,

when

gentle spring's
;

first

heat

Ran through

thy quiet veins

that couldst injure none, but wouklst be

left

alone,

Alone thou leavest me, and nought of thine remains. What, hath no poet's lyre o'er thee, sweet breathing briar,

Hung

fondly

ill

or well

And

yet methinks with thee, a poet's sympathy,

in

Whether

weal or woe,

in life or death,

might dwell."

Our sweet Eglantine

beautifies

scatters

its

rich

fragrance over, and

the

hedgerows and gardens of our transatlantic

brethren.
praises,

How
"Our

warmly docs the poet Brainard sing

its

sweet auUimn.il western scented wind

of
its

Robs

odours none so sweet a flower,

82

w^
In

ENCHANTER'S NIGHTSHADE.
all

the blooming waste

it left
it
;

behind,

and the shower Meets not a rose that buds in beauty's bower One half so lovely yet it grows along The poor girl's pathway, by the poor man's door. Such are the simple folks it dwells among And humble as the bud, so humble be the song."

As

that the Sweetbriar yields

ENCHANTER'S NIGHTSHADE
Sorcery.

{Circcsa lutetiana).

Witchcraft.

In damp and humid places, where the superstitious mind

may

imagine every kind of hideous

;

reptile,

and birds of

evil

omen, to congregate
perties to thrive
;

and plants and weeds of noxious proand where the wizened wizard and the
might most
fitly

shrivelled hag, of face repulsive,

their incantations
;

perform

there does this plant delight to grow, as

"amid

the mouldering bones and

decayed cofhns

in

the

ruinous vaults of Sleaford church, in Lincolnshire," and like

localities.

Of

its

favourite habitat, Darwin, in his " Loves of

the Poets," thus writes,

" Thrice round the grave Circaea prints her tread,

And
Moore,
in

chants the numbers which disturb the dead."

the

''

Feast of Roses," introduces an enchantress,

who

professes to have the

love of Selim to

power of charming back the strayed Nourmahal, by means of flowers,

" 'Tis the hour

That

scatters spells

on herb and

flower,

U0^

E^^CHANTER'S NIGHTSHADE.
And

garlands might be gathered now,

Would make him dream,

of Nourmahal, of course
"
;

That, twined around the sleeper's brow,

and

further,

Now, too, a chaplet might be wreathed Of buds o'er which the moon has breathed. Which worn by her, whose love has strayed, Might bring some Peri from the skies, Some sprite, whose very soul is made Of flowerets' breaths and lovers' sighs, And who might tell

how

that love

is

to

be restored
"
'

and so
for me,'

For me,

Cried Nourmahal, impatiently,

'

Oh

twine that wreath for

me

to-night.'"

The enchantress does her

royal
lover's

bidding, and the result

is

that the

affections

are again

fixed upon

the

Sultana

Nourmahal, the Light of the Harem.

If the enchanter's art

always restored happiness to mortals,

is

we might

regret the loss of the race, which

now seemingly
Since, however,
stir

represented by professors of spirit-rapping.

the supposed power of the enchanter was used to

up the

author of

all

mischief, for

some

evil

purpose,

we cannot be
It

sorry that the darkest days of superstition are ended.

in

was

those days that the enchanter's Nightshade was thought to

It
is

have very wonderful properties.

not of any value for

good

or

ill.

84

THE EVENING PRIMROSE.

THE EVENING PRIMROSE

This ornamental
is

{CEnothera biennis).

Inconstancy.
flower
is

a native of North America.

it

It

called the

Evening Primrose because

opens

its

sulphur-

coloured petals from six to seven p.m. Their

is

mode

of opening
at

remarkable.

The

petals are held together

by hooks
first

the end of the flower-cup, whose segments separate

at

the lower part, where the corolla

before
its

may be

seen for some time

expansive force

is

strong enough to unhook the

flower-cup at the top.

When
it

unhooked, the corolla opens

;

out instantaneously as

were

it

then halts, taking time to

first

spread out

flat.

The space

of time occupied from the

its full

disclosure of the corolla at the bottom, to

is

expansion,

about half an hour.

The

corolla

becomes

flaccid

during
is

the next day, more or less quickly, as the atmosphere

hot

and dry, or cold and moist.

Bernard Barton has
set this flower in poetry,

" Fair flower, that shunn'st the glare of day.

Yet

lov'st to

open, meekly bold,

grey,

To evening hues of sober Thy cup of paly gold

;

Be

thine the offering, owing long,

thee,

To

and

to this pensive hour.

Of the brief tributary song. Though transient as thy flower."

and speedy fading of this flower makes LThe quickly blooming of Inconstancy.
it

good emblem

85

A FEA THERY REED.

A FEATHERY REED. Indiscretion.

Pan and Apollo once contended with the flute and the lyre for pre-eminence in music, and made choice of Midas, King of Phrygia, to award the palm. He preferred the music of Pan to that of Apollo, whereupon the god of the silver-bow made the king's ears as an ass's ears. Midas hid them under his Phrygian cap, so that no one
are told that

We

but his hair-dresser

knew

of the change.

The man, harassed

it

by the
it,

discovery, feeling that he could not keep

secret,

and dreading the consequences to himself should he reveal

dug a hole in the ground, and whispered into it the words, " Midas has ass's ears," as if he would bury it there.

He

then

filled

up the grave of the

it

secret,

on which a
in

Feathery Reed grew up, and, as

breeze,
it

waved about

the

seemed

to betray
"

continually the buried

secret,
!

waving forth the words,

Midas has the

ears of an ass

FENNEL
The
energies.

(A netJunn foenicuhmt).
in

STRENGTH.
used
to

gladiators

training

for exhibition

mix

Fennel with their food, for the purpose of stimulating their

Successful gladiators were crowned with a garland
It
is

of Fennel, after the sports were concluded.

now used
])retty

by

us for

culinary

purposes, giving a pleasant

It

flavour to

sauces served with salmon and mackerel.

garnish to these
fish.

forms a

The

seeds are a strong carminati\e,

and great
use
in

([uantities are aniuiall}'

imported from P'rancc

for

medicine.
86

FERN.

FERN. Sincerity.
"

The Foxgloves and the Fern, how gracefully they grow, With grand old oaks above them, and wavy grass below The stately trees stand round, like columns fair and high,

And
And

the spreading branches bear a glorious canopy

that rustling

Of leaves,
gaily

wave in the whispering summer air. greet the sunbeams that are falling brightly there."

Romance of Floivers.
the forest glades are bordered with Ferns in the beauteous days of summer, these graceful forms of vegetable
life

When

make

a useful carpet.

Open

to the lovely sky, mottled

over with clouds, amid which the glowing sun passes on his glorious way, yet screened by a leafy canopy, such spaces
afford

most pleasing

resorts for the pic-nic party.

There

may
;

ministering maidens and waiting gentlemen spread the cloth set forth the savoury viands, the generous and sparkling
wines, and the various fruits of the season or reclining
collation.
;

and then, seated

upon the obliging Fern, partake of the refreshing How^ pleasantly passes the time on such occasions,
!

and how
refection,

swiftly

desire to please,

and then the freedom of such a reunion, the the lovely weather, the generous and delicate
the
closed

unlock

heart

of

those usually most

;

reserved.

Then hidden
lips

feelings

show themselves

thoughts,

at other times concealed, escape through the ivory inclosure

and ruby

for the

most

part,

they who are present are

sentiments
illusion,

then sincere, though

in their sincerity

may become
which must

known

w'hich dispel

some fond yet vain

87

FIR TREE.

no longer be cherished.
say with Miss Twamlay,
" Tiie green

Yet

so

much

that

is

deHghtful
are

is

associated with these red-letter days, that

we

bound

to

and graceful Fern, how beautiful

all

it

is!
1

There's not a leaf in

the land so wonderful

it

wis.

Have ye

ever watched
small,

budding, with each stem and leaf

wrapped

Coiled up within each other like a round and hairy ball

Have ye watched

that ball unfolding each closely nestling curl,

.''

And Oh And
!

and feathery leaflets their spreading forms unfurl then most gracefully they wave in the forest, like a sea, dear as they are beautiful are those Fern leaves to me."
its fair

FIR TREE.
"

Elevation.

Those

lofty Firs, that over-top

Their ancient neighbour, the old steeple tower,"

Wordsworth.

The

Firs are a

hardy family of

trees,

growing

in the coldest

regions and high situations, and attaining a height of from

twenty to one hundred

able rapidity.

feet.

They

also

grow with consider-

The

"

Wellingtonia gigantea," so
''

named by

the

late Dr. Lindley,

and designated by him

is

the

monarch of the

Californian forest,"

a magnificent cone-bearing tree.

One

specimen was found on the Sierra Nevada, measuring 450 feet from its head to its root This tree grows well in our
!

climate.

Young
is

trees

may
its

be purchased at small cost;

its

ramification
its

pleasing;

verdure of agreeable tint; and

less useful as

growth quick.

All the Fir tribe arc more or

it

timber.

Whether we consider
88

as tln'iving in lofty regions,

FLAX
growing to great heights, or its high estimation as a timber-making family, it is most deservedly the emblem of
as

Elevation.

FLAX

{Linimi usitatisshmini).!

AM SENSIBLE OF YOUR

Kindness.
"

How

sweetly blooms

Upon

the slopes the azure-blossomed Flax."

Carrington.

USITATISSIMUM
Carrington
tells us,

Most

useful indeed

is

the Flax, which,

Dartmoor.
account of

It
its

blooms upon the slopes of the wilds of has been cultivated from the earliest ages on valuable fibres, the raw material used in the
articles.

manufacture of linen and other useful

rich

Of
is

it

the

lace

which

is

so ornamental to the fair sex,

it

made.

When
papers.

the goods manufactured from

into

the rags are converted

worn out by use, the best writing and drawing

are

Not only
is

is

the fibre of the Flax exceedingly useful, but

also the seed,

which

is

used as food

in its

whole

state.

It

made

into linseed cake, invaluable for feeding cattle,

oil
is

and

in its

manufacture a rich

expressed, highly prized

by

the
It

artist,

the ordinary painter, and the veterinary surgeon.

also supplies rape oil

light so mild
in
fact,
it

and the colza

in

oil,

which yield an

artificial

and agreeable

our sitting-rooms.

We

are,

so deeply indebted to this plant that

we

must allow
sentiment, "
I

to

be a very appropriate emblem of the

am

sensible of your Kindness."

89

THE FLOWERING FERN.

THE FLOWERING FERN

This
called
is

{Osmunda

n;^^//^^). Reverie.

the finest of our native Ferns.

Fern.
Its

It

is

sometimes
is

the royal

generic

name,

Osmunda,

supposed to be that of a goddess, queen of Thor, a Celtic

di\'init}',

and was applied to

this plant for its alleged virtue in

is

medicine.

One
is

of

its

fancied properties

to inspire those

under

its
it

influence

with dreams of great prophetic force,

whence
in

made

the

emblem

of Reverie.

This Fern grows

the most retired spots, in the midst of deep forests, as in

;

the royal forest of Delamere, Cheshire

and on vast bleak

moors, as
Surrey.

Hind Head, a few miles from Godalming, Wordsworth speaks of its retiring propensities
at

" Fair Ferns

and

flowers,

and

chiefly that tall

Fern

So

stately, of the

Plant lovelier in

Queen Osmunda named, its own retired abode

On

Grasmere's beach, than Naiad by the side

Of Grecian brook, or lady of the mere, Sole sitting by the shores of old romance
so that
quiet
habitat,

its

wherever that
fits

may

be,

is

exactly suited to

musing,

and those

of abstraction

which we are

accustomed to speak of simply as a Reverie.

90

f
l''nin'i'l

/IK'

no/

llinvl/inrn

l.ilv a/' l/n' lii/h'v

%
Sir-

FORGE T-ME-NO T.

^OT

1
FORGET-:\IE-NOT
"

{Myosotispalustris).YoRGY.i:-^\Y.-^OT.
of love,

That name, and fear;

it

speaks in accents

clear

and hope, and

joy,

It softly tells

an absent friend that links of love should never rend

hill

Its

whispers waft on swelling breeze, o'er

seas,

and

dale,

by land and

Forget-me-not
rill

Gem

of the

we

love to greet thy blossoms smiling at our feet.

;

We

fancy to thy flow'ret given a semblance of the azure heaven

And deem

thine eye of gold to be the star that gleams so brilliantly."

The

Myosotis

is

nowhere

seen, perhaps, in greater

beauty
in

and abundance than on the borders of a small stream

the environs of Luxembourg.

The country people

to have
source,

call this

streamlet the Fairies' Bath, or the Cascade of the Enchanted

Oak

these two

names seem
its

been given to

it

on

account of the beauty of

which

it

issues

from

with a murmuring sound, at the foot of an oak tree as old as

the
hills.

Its

waters bound along, at

first,

from cascade to

cascade, under a long covering of verdure, which they leave

only to flow gently through an extensive meadow.

There
Part

they seem to the delighted eye

of the

like a thread of silver.

bank

is

covered with a thick border of Myosotis,

whose pretty
celestial blue.

flowers are, in the

month of
as

July, of a bright

Then they bend down,

though they took

the

pleasure

in

admiring themselves

in the crystal stream,

purity of which cannot be surpassed.

girls

Ofttimes do the young

go down from the

city,

on holidays, to dance by the

side of the river.

There, while weaving wreaths of the flower

91

FORGET-ME-NOT.
we might fancy they were
in

^(M
many nymphs
cele-

it

nourishes,

so

brating accustomed sports

honour of the naiad of the

this pretty flower

enchanted oak.

Though every one knows why

story
:

is

used to

express the wish, " Forget-me-not,"

on the eve of marriage, were walking on the banks of the Danube. flower, blue as the deepest sky,
lovers,

Two

we must

here repeat the

swung upon the waves, vv'hich seemed ready to bear it away. The young lady admired its beautiful colour, and bewailed its
impending destiny.
flowing waters.

The
is

affianced bridegroom leaped into the

stream, seized the blooming stem, and sunk engulfed in the

It

said that, with a last effort, he threw

the flower on the bank, and at the

moment
;

of his disappear"
!

ance for ever, cried out,

" Pour exprimer

*'

Love me

Forget-me-not

Tamour ces fleurs semblent dclore Leur langage est un mot, mais il est plein d'appas. Dans la main des amants elles disent encore Aimez-moi ne m'oubliez pas !"
;

This, the great

Water Scorpion

Grass, as a poetical writer,

whose namxC we do not know, has said

"

By

rivulet, or spring, or

wet road-side,
'

That blue and bright-ey'd flow'ret of the brook, Hope's gentle gem, the sweet Forget-me-not,'"
is

very ornamental.
centre

The

blue of

its

petals

is

brilliant,

and

in

the

is a yellow eye, from which white lines radiate. Other species of the grass are smaller, arc often mistaken for

this,

and,

in

the absence of the identical flower,

may

well be

regarded as emblematical of the same sentiment.

92

"isfj^^^

FRAXINELLA.

FRAXINELLA
Fraxinella, the
because
its

{Dictmnniis /^.). Fire.

specific

name, was given to

resemble
those
of

this plant

leaves
If

closely

the
it

Ash
will

(Fraxinus).

you rub the plant with your

;

fingers

emit a lemon scent

balsamic.

if

you bruise
of the

it,

the fragrance will be

are

The

footstalks

flowers

supposed to
This
in

contain this fine scent.

They

are studded with glands of a

fluid.

rusty red, which exude a resinous or viscous

fluid

exhales in vapour, and

places.
It
is

may

be seen to take

fire

dark

alleged that

when the day has been very hot

this exhalation
is

and

dry,

and the evening damp,

to ignite
if

so inflam-

mable as
plant.

a lighted bougie be brought near the

FUMITORY

{Fiunaria

officinalis).

Hatred.
saline,

PRETTY weed, whose leaves The taste of the plant is somewhat

offensive to the palate that
it

smell rather disagreeable.

bitter

and

and

is

so

has been called by the French,

Fiel de

teri^e,

and appropriated as the emblem of Hatred.

GARDEN WALL-FLOWER
The
received

{Chciranthus cheiri).

Lasting Beauty.
Greeks delighted
art
in flowers,

but were unacquainted

with the

of

cultivating

and

improving

them

as the wild gifts of nature.

them With the

they
arts of

CA RDEN VA LL-FL O
I

JJ

^ER,

Greece, the
love

Romans took up
for

the taste for flowers, and their

of floral wreaths was so great that the use of certain

flowers

was prescribed

special purposes.

These
and

rulers

of the then

known world

cultivated both violets

roses,

and

whole

fields,

covered with these flowers, soon encroached on

the domain of Ceres.

The

valiant Gauls were long without

the delicacies of

life

their warlike

hands disdaining even the

territory

use of the plough.

With them, the garden was the

family,

of the mistress of the

and contained nothing but

In time their manners

aromatic plants and potherbs.

softened,

became

and Charlemagne, the terror of his foes and the He recomfather of his own people, was fond of flowers. mends the culture of the lily, the rose, and the wall-flower.
Exotic flowers were not introduced amongst us
thirteenth century.
until

the

In the time of the Crusades, our warriors

brought
at that

many new

kinds from Egypt and Syria.

The monks,
took care

time the only

skilful cultivators of the soil,

of them.
retreats
;

They soon gave a

festal
Still

pleasing charm to their quiet

thence they spread over our parterres, and became

decorations,

our chief

and the luxury of our

castles

and
long,

halls.
lily

the rose remains the queen of our groves,

and the

the king of our vales.

lily

The

rose does not last

and the

passes

away almost

as quickly.

The Walllily,
:

flower, less graceful than the rose, less

superb than the

has a more lasting beauty

" Rich
is

a difference which Moir has noted

is

the pink, the

lily

gay, the rose

Summer's guest
statelier

charms when these decay These may be gaudier in the bower, and
IJland arc thy
kit Wall-flower,

of flowers,

first, last,

and best
"
!

on the tree

loved Wall-llowcr, thou art the flower for

mc

94

GATHERED FLOWERS.
For the greater part of the year the Wall-flower displays
tinually a
its

orange, yellow, and red pyramidal bloom, which scatters con-

most agreeable fragrance, and these render the

all.

flower acceptable to

It gives

a charm to the garden of

the noble, and the flower-pot of the lowliest

who

cherish

it

with the fondest care.

dispute, to be the

It

claims of right, which no one can

of Lasting Beauty.

emblem

GATHERED FLOWERS. We
It
is

die together.
fruit,

well

known how soon

decomposes the

a mass of flowers, or
air,

or
for

vegetables,

and

renders

it

unfit

respiration, producing sickness

and death.

This fact has suggested to a German writer, Freiligrath, a

touching
Flowers."
*'

sketch,

which

he

calls,

"The Revenge

of

the

Returning from a botanical excursion, two young

lie

girls

enter their home, close the windows,

down and
is

fall

asleep.

At
will

their feet, in a basket,

collected.

is

seen
!

the flowers
their

which they
1

have

How indiscreet

where

mother

who

warn them of the danger which surrounds them } Already the air is being decomposed, the atmosphere of the small apartment is heavy and unfit to breathe, and the youthful
maidens weighed down by
it

writhe about unconsciously on

rise

their couch.

Suddenly, from amid the basket of flowers,

of the
narcissus

up the

spirits

and the tuberose

They
!

appear as two light nymphs dancing and whirling about,

meanwhile chanting ominous words

ens
!

'

Young maidens young

life 1

why have you

deprived us of
95

Nature gives

GERMAN IRIS.
you have shortened it Oh how sweet was the dew how radiant the sun and yet we must die but we will be avenged/ Thus chanting, the two nymphs,
us but a day, and
! !
!

continually whirling about and

bewailing their

fate,

draw
their
!

near the young maidens' couch, and breathe over their faces
their
livid

poisonous exhalations.

Poor children
their

Mark

cheeks
!

their pale lips

arms closely interwoven

;

Alas

their heart has ceased to beat

life
;

they no longer breathe

the breath of

they are dead together.

The

flowers are

avenged

GERMAN
"

IRIS

{Iris germmiica).

Ardour.

Flame.

The

azure fields of heaven were 'sembled right

In a large round, set with the flowers of light

The

flowers-de-luce,

That hung upon

Like twinkling

their azure leaves, did

and the round sparks of dew show

evening blew,"

stars, that sparkle in the

Fletcher.

The German
When
purple,

Iris

is

a plant which

the

peasants of that

country delight to cultivate on the tops of their cottages.

the air gently waves about
its

beautiful flowers,

and

the sun lights up their petals with mingled tints of gold, and

and azure, one might say that bright and perfumed

flames glance upon the rustic roofs.

No doubt this

appearance

has caused the

name Flamrne
y

to be given to this flower.

Three Flower-de-luce or
shield azure,
is

Fleur-de-lis^

two and one,

It fltly

or,

on a

the royal arms of France.

speaks of

the ardour and enthusiasm which are peculiarly characteristic

\
^'"^^x

of the inhabitants o{

La

belle Fra7tce.

It

is

also a universally

96

GERMANDER SPEEDWELL.
admired decoration
in ecclesiastical art, in

which

it is

figured

in great variety of form,

but so faithfully representing the

original as in no case to be mistaken.

May it

not in

all places,

so used, call to our minds that ardour and

warmth
?

of devotion

which should mark

all

our religious observances

GERMANDER SPEEDWELL
There
in

{Veronica chamcedrys).

Faithfulness.
are

many

species of this genus, but not one exceeds

beauty
in

the

little

Germander Speedwell, which

Its pretty
is
it

is

very

common
masses
;

our hedgerows.

blue flowers grow in

it is

and so much
it

admired that

introduced into
for a
in

our gardens, where

grows longer and blooms

in its

more
con-

lengthened period than

dition
it

wild state

but

this

more than one year, and therefore is treated as an annual, and as such far surpasses many exotics. Its generic name is Greek, and is said by some to signify,
rarely survives

Faithful Likeness.

GLASSWORT. Pretension.
The
different

species

of this

useful

plant

grow most
It is

abundantly by the
used

sea, in salt

marshes, and yield the barilla

of commerce, so valuable in the manufacture of soap.

also
in

the production of glass, whence

its

common
delights

name.

lively fancy has

compared

it

to

one who, with some

pretty plant

pretension to beauty, smitten with her

in

own charms,
this
it

admiring

her reflected image,

since

droops over the crystal stream near which

97
-cXX

grows.

GLYCINE.

GLYCINE
The
made
That
it it

{G. sinensis).Yov-^

Friendship AND AGREEABLE TO ME.

an elegant creeper.
of a

is

pleasing

Glycine
the

is

The Chinese have

emblem

tender and delicate friendship.

may

thrive with success, this plant needs to be supIts

ported, and sheltered under a wall with a south aspect.

beautiful pale blue flowers, arranged in long pendulous branches

like the

laburnum and the

it is

acacia,

bloom

in

succession during

the

summer; but

in the

month
all

of April, especially, that

they unfold themselves on

largest trees their
walls,

sides,

and spread over the

perfumed wreaths.

Then they cover our

fall

they surround our windows, they form bowers, and

acrain like a

down

shower of flowers from the roofs of our

w^ith all

houses.

They comply

the caprices, and yield to

all

the demands, of those

attention.

who
is

cultivate

them with

care

and

We
like

see that this plant

;

yielding, agreeable,

and gentle,

and to preserve it, what does it require 1 That which the heart lavishes on a friend, tenderness and
friendship

attention.

GOAT'S RUE

{Galcga officinalis). ^Y.K'^0^.

plant was
at

The

juice

of this

one time used to tranrecall the

quillize patients suffering

mental delirium, and to

it

wandering
of Reason.

faculties, It
is

whence

has been

made

the

emblem

now

of no repute as a medicine, but the

flowers.

species are cultivated

and are handsome border

98

GRASS.

GOOSEFOOT
The
King
their

{Chcnopodiiim Bonus Hcnricus).

GOODNESS.

people have given the

name

of their best beloved

wholesome and useful plant, which grows within reach, and which, in some sort, seems to belong to
to a

them
It
is

exclusively.

Le Bon Henri needs no

cultivation

in

France, but flourishes everywhere along walls and thickets.

at once the asparagus

and spinach of the poor.

king

Happy,
a simple

a thousand

times,

is

the

who

merits such

homage

GRASS.

Usefulness.

The wisdom
universe
is

and beneficence of the great Creator of the most plainly seen in the way in which His creatures
for.

are provided

When
first

the earth emerged from the abyss

of waters, then,

of

all

vegetable

life,

Grass was bid to

grow and clothe its surface. Then, when cattle, and fowls of the air, and creeping things were created, it was declared that for them was given every green herb for meat. Thus
has grass from the beginning been the principal supply for

them, and

is

the most

common form
hills

of vegetation, whereon
fed,

the cattle upon a thousand

have

and grown, and

multiplied, stocking the world with the vast

amount of food

Lin upon
A

now required by the millions upon millions of human beings who people it. What then can be more useful than grass its many varieties 1 and what is more pleasing to look
than the verdure with which
QQ 99
it

clothes

our

hills

and

jm,

GREEK VALEREiN.
dales,

our meadows and downs

Surely nothing.

It has,

therefore,

most deservedly been adopted as the emblem of

Usefulness.

GRASS-LEAVED GOOSE-FOOT {CJienopodmm simtim). I DECLARE War against You.

This
cypress.

altis-

plant bears

some resemblance

to

the

pyramidal
it

In

some

parts of Italy, of which country

is

native, the offering to

any one the stems or

stalks of

it is

regarded as an

insult.

GREEK VALERIAN
Pliny records
that the

{Polemoiiiitm ccEvideum).

Rupture.
generic

name Polemonium was

their disputes to

given to a plant, because several kings disputed the honour

of having discovered
its

virtues,

and carried

such an extent as to try to settle them by an appeal to arms.

It Vv'as also called

Chilodynamia on account of
is

its

remarkable
the

excellence.

Pliny's plant

unknown now, but

name

is

borne by a pretty blue border flower, of easy culture and

long

known

to the

florist.

GUELDER ROSE
I

Vilmrnmn

o/y?iI?is).GoOT)

News.
in

HIS
in

is

indigenous, and

not unconmionly found

in

moist
It

tl^laccs
is,

various parts of Great l>ritain

June and

Jul\'.

however, better

known

as the Snowball Tree, which forms a

lOO

=^

GUELDER ROSE.
pleasing- addition to our groves with the lilac, the

laburnum,

and the crimson thorn.

flowers have

Under

cultivation, the corollas of the

expanded

to almost as large a size as those of the

radiating ones in the wild plant, and the

cymes have become

It
is

globose,
thus, as
in

whence
it

it

has obtained the

common name.

were, possible to provide a snowball at

Midsummer

payment of quit-rent to the sovereign, by the noble holder upon whom such terms are said to have been imposed. The following legend accounts for the origin of the Guelder
Rose.

A
spirit

young damsel,

scarcely fifteen years of age, died.

in
life.

Her

hovered about her dwelling when

She could

not resolve to abandon, even for celestial regions, the fields

she had so dearly loved.

Of a sudden her guardian angel

fulfilling

appeared to

her.

Desirous of
like to

her wishes, he asked

whether she would

will live in the

be transformed into a flower, and

its

gave her the choice as to

kind.

"Then," said
"
!

he, *'you

and looking round upon the difTerent flowers of the land, added, "Would you wish to be a tulip 1 " " No," she said, " for the tulip has no The lily elevates herself above fragrance." A lily 1 "
'' ''

garden or the meadow

She bears thorns which cause "No, no," suddenly expain." ''A splendid camellia.?" claimed the spirit of the young damsel; "but, since it is perother flowers."
*'

rose

"

''

make my choice, I should like to be a Guelder Rose." "What!" cries the angel in astonishment, "do you Think desire to be in bloom when all nature seems dead
mitted

me

to

of the icy vvinds of winter

will die

they will drive against you, and

felt

without having

the caresses of the gentle

lOI

-o=r^^d^

HA WTHORN.
zephyr
!"
**

Be

it

so,"
I

was the reply; "I

shall

shall live only for a

day, but in that

day

announce the coming Spring!"

to

what way the flower was allowed change the season of blooming from winter to summer.
are not told in

We

HAWTHORN
"

[Cratcegtis oxyacanthd).\{OYY..

Hope

in the

Hawthorn

lay."

TWAMLEY.
We
notice
its

There
in

is

no tree or shrub which we observe more closely

spring than the

the

early

Hawthorn.

swelling buds enlarging daily until the leaves unfold themselves.

foliage

Here and there along the hedgerows patches of In sheltered places, some are in advance of the rest.

several feet in an enclosure

may

be quite verdant, while scarce

a leaf has opened out elsewhere.

flower buds,
flowers.

Then come
by the

the bunches of

followed
this

in

due time
is

sweet-scented

While

change

taking place in the Hawthorn,

all

from

its

foliation to its
life.

blooming,

Nature has been rousing

herself into active

hearts.
breast,

An

abundance of flowers cheer our

Sweet concerts of birds ring in our ears. The redthe finches, the blackbird, and thrush, have charmed
notes,
to

us with their various

destroy
the

many enemies

and we remember how they our fruits. Then the swallow, and
foretell

martin, and the cuckoo

us of sunny days, of
fruits,

verdant meads, of golden corn, of glorious

which are to

be showered into our

not in so

welcome with delight, though demonstrative a manner as our forefathers, th

lap.
1

We

02

HA WTHORN.
of

May.

In the days of Chaucer (A.D.

for,

328-1400)

it

was

the custom to go a-Maying,

"

says that poet

forthe goeth alle

With

the Courte, bothe moste and leste,

To fetch the flowirs freshe, and braunche and bloome, And namely Hawthorne brought both page and groome,
freshe garlantis partly blew

and white

;"

and Spenser
"

(a.d. 15

53-1 599)

To

Youngthes folke now flocken in everie where gather May buskets and smelling brere
;

And home they hasten the postes to dight, And all the kirk pillours eare day-light
With Hawthorn
buds."

Herrick (born A.D. 1591) recounts very sweetly the festivities of May-day, and, as reproving his mistress for not rising
early on so joyous a morning, says
'
:

There's not a budding boy or

girle, this

day,

But

is

got up, and gone to bring in

deale of youth, ere this,

is

May. come

Back, and with white thorn laden home."

Here and there May-day

and crowned.
flirt

is still

observed.
;

decked with garlands of flowers

the

The May-pole is May Queen is chosen

the village-green, and

The young dance upon

fled, sit

or coquet, as in days of yore; while they

whose days

upon the benches or chairs under the shady foliage, recounting what May-day was in their time. Goldsmith, in his " Deserted Village," makes mention of
for

dancing are

"

The Hawthorn bush, with

For talking age and

seats beneath the shade, " whispering lovers made

!

103

HA WTHORN.
a favourite seat for lovers, of which Burns
is

not unmindful

"If Heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare, One cordial in this melancholy vale, 'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair, In others arms breathe out the tender tale. Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the evening gale

;"

full

of hope of

many happy days

chequered
life,

to come, as they

wend

their

way through
do together.

this

which they have resolved to

Shakespeare asks

" Gives not the

Hawthorn bush a sweeter shade

To shepherds looking on their silly sheep Than doth a rich embroidered canopy To kings, that fear their subjects' treachery?"
Milton regards
character
"
it

as the favourite shade of the

same

rustic

And

every shepherd
the

tells his tale

Under

Hawthorn

in the dale."

The

poets are ever mindful of

it.

Kirke White speaks of

Hawthorn's
shade,''

"The mossy

seat beneath the

and inviting
says,

"

Contemplation

"

personified to

accompany him,

we
"

on the upland
With
fragrant

stile

embowered

Hawthorn, snowy flowered.

sit."

Will sauntering

104

HA WTHORN.
Miss

Twamley
"

writes
let

Come,

us rest this Hawthorn-tree below,

its

And And watch

Circling

breathe

luscious fragrance ere

fall

it flies,

the tiny petals as they

and winnowing down our sylvan

his friend, saying
"
;

hall

and

Elliott calls
"

upon

walk with me where Hawthorns hide

The wonders
of the lane

and

all

our poets are in harmony with respect to the charms

:

of the Hawthorn, and might join in Miss Taylor's words

"
I

love the pleasant Spring,

when buds begin

to push,

And

flowers their nosegays bring to

Till stores of
Fill the

hang on every bush. May, with snowy bloom, young hedgerows with perfume."

Troglodytes, w^iose simple manners remind us of the golden age, used to cover the friends whom death had taken with branches of Hawthorn, since they looked upon death as

The

the morning of a

life

\vhere there

would be no more parting.

:

Longfellow well expresses

" There
!

this idea

what seems so is transition is no death This hfe of mortal breath is but a suburb of the
;

life

Elysian,

Whose

portal

we

call death."

At Athens, the fair young friends of a bride carried branches and the altar of Hymen of the Hawthorn at her nuptials was lighted up with torches made of the wood of this tree, which has ever been regarded as the emblem of Hope. It
;

tells

us of bright days at hand

it

held out to the beautiful

;

Greek the promise of happiness in marriage simple Troglodytes it spoke of life eternal.
105

and

to the

^=0
^'^1^

p
THE Hi\ZEL
Time was when
union.

THE HAZEL.

{Coryhis avellana).

RECONCILIATION.

Peace.
the

human

Deaf
;

to the cries

had no common bond of of nature, the lover abandoned his

race
If misfortune

mistress

the mother snatched from her child the wild fruit

with which he sought to satisfy his hunger.

united

them

for a

moment, the

sight of an

oak laden with There was

acorns, or of a beech-tree bearing

abundant mast, made them

with woe.

enemies.

Then

the world was

religion,
;

filled

neither law, nor

nor intelligible language.

his reason slept,

Man
Avas oft

understood not his nature

as cruel as the

and he

most ferocious
pity

beasts,

whose bowlings he

imitated.

The gods took

prepared
gifts

upon mankind Apollo and Mercury and came down upon earth. The god of
;

harmony

received from the son of Mai'a a tortoise-shell with

lyre,

which he made a
hazel-rod, which
virtue,

and gave

to Mercury, in exchange, a

had the power

to inspire with a

love

of
:

and to reconcile hearts divided by hatred and envy thus provided, the two sons of Jupiter presented themselves
to

men.

Apollo sang forthwith of that Eternal

;

Wisdom
all

which made the world

produced, and
created

he told them

how
its

the elements were

how
;

charity unites
his

by

gentle influence
that

beings

and taught

hearers

they must

<f

m
l^v

appease the anger of the gods by prayer. At his voice you might have seen mothers, pale and trembling, draw near him, holding their little infants in their arms; hunger ceasedio6

.^4

^^^^=0-

HEATH.
Then Mercury touched men with the wand given to him by Apollo. He set free their tongue, and taught them to express thoughts by words. He
revenge fled from every heart.
told

them

that union

was strength, and that nothing could be

aid.

obtained from the earth without mutual

Filial piety

and

the love of country sprung into existence, at his teaching, to

unite the

human

species
all'

and he made commerce the bond

His
last

which should bring

the world into harmony.

it

thought was the most sublime, for

was sacred to the gods, and showed men how they might approach them in character by the exercise of love and beneficence. Decorated with two light wings, and surrounded by serpents, the Hazel-wand, given to the

god of eloquence by the

"

god of harmony,

is

yet,

under the name of

The Caduceus,"

the symbol of Peace, Commerce, and Reconciliation.

HEATH
Where
we betake
that

{Erica vidgmds).

Solitude.
}

can Solitude most surely be found

Where can

ourselves so as to be most completely abstracted

objects.-*

from surrounding

Whither can we bend our steps

we may be the least liable to intrusion from our fellowmen 1 The answer which may first spring up in the mind

will be, perhaps,

In the wilds
who has

of nature, on the vast surface

of moorland, covered with heather, where not a tree or shrub

larger than

gorse or furze intercepts the boundless view.

toiled

Thither, indeed, he

among and

for his kind,

and

in

return

has received

injury and wrong,

107

may

fly to

HEA TH.
escape the society
in

which he has found only disappoint-

ment.

Such an one Wordsworth has portrayed,

"

He was

one who owned

No common soul. And led by Nature

Of
lofty hopes,

In youth by science nursed,

into a wild scene

Which genius did not hallow, 'gainst the taint Of dissolute tongues, and jealousy and hate,

fav'oured being,

he to the world went forth knowing no desire

And

scorn,

against
service

all

enemies prepared.
it

All but neglect.

The
:

world, for so

thought,

Owed him no

wherefore he at once

With indignation turned himself away.

And

with the food of pride sustained his soul

In Solitude.

Stranger
for

Had charms
^
"^

him
"Sf

these gloomy boughs and here he loved to sit,

!

-Jf

-Jf

-Jf

And on these barren rocks, with juniper. And Heath, and thistle, thinly sprinkled o'er, Fixing his downcast eye, he many an hour

morbid pleasure nourished, tracing here

of his

An emblem
*
"^

own
*

unfruitful life

-jf

*
visionar}^

On

and so, lost man views would fancy feed,

Till his eye

streamed with tears."

To him the barren Heath was solitude indeed but not less may it be found in the crowded streets, thronged with m)'riads of human beings, bent each one upon his pursuit after plea;

sure or business, seeking

SL-lf

how he may
pass

carry out his plans for

or others

there

we may
1

along undisturbed, our

reflections,

thoughts concentrated

upon the subject of our

08

i^:=0

m^HENBANE.
even more
nature
fully

than when amid the wilds but beauties of

of our

kind

we wander far away from the busy haunts yet, as an emblem of Solitude, we cannot but

regard

the Heath as perhaps the most appropriate flower.

HENBANE
Henbane
physicians.
is

{Hyoscyamus

niger).

Fault.
in

a medicinal plant of frequent use by living

poison, but
their

It is a virulent

hands

is

productive of great benefit in

said to

many

cases.

The Turks

are

make

use of

it

as a

narcotic, its effects resembling

those of opium, and they

who commonly make

use of

it

are regarded as dissolute debauchees.

HEPATICA
This
shades.
is

{Hepatica /rz/^^^). CONFIDENCE.

flower border, not only
displays, but their

a great favourite in the

it

on account of the various colours

many

The

leaves are so formed as to bear a striking reliver,

;

semblance to the lobes of the

It

whence

its

generic name.

blooms from February to April and when it spreads forth its pretty petals, the gardener knows that the earth is in a genial state, and that he may with Confidence sow his
seeds.

109

HOLLY.

HERB ARCHANGEL
The
flavour,

{Angelica Archangelicd).

Inspiration.
stalks of this culinary plant possess a

warm aromatic
It is

and are deemed

little inferior
it

to ginger as a stimulant.

In Norw^ay and Lapland

is

highly esteemed.

sup-

posed to be indigenous to extreme northern countries, and we

are told that
it

serves to form the wreath for the poets of

inspired

Lapland,

who become

under the influence of

its

agreeable odour.

HOLLY
The
manner
of
in this

{Ilex aqidfoliuni),

FORETHOUGHT.
shown
in

forethought of Nature
beautiful tree.

is

remarkable

The

holly-trees in the forest

Needwood supply ample proof of this, though many more can be found. They are furnished with a belt of leaves armed with thorns to the height of ten feet or more. At that height
the leaves cease to be

any

protection,
tree has

for

above they are

This

smooth
tree,

at the edges.

The

no further need to be
high.

armed against enemies which cannot reach so

which
is

of the brightest green colour,

is

the last deco-

ration

of our forests
;

when despoiled
it

of their verdure

by

winter

its

berries are food for the little birds

;

which abide
its foliage,

with us during that inclement season

lends them

which

is

a hospitable roof prepared for

its

them

then.

The

deer and the hart even seek

shelter

there they conceal

no

HOLL YHOCK,
themselves behind the snows accumulated around

it.

The

leaves and branches, lightly covered with snow, are disposed

like the roof of a

Chinese pavilion, the elegant and pyramidal

form of which

is

assumed by the Holly.

Does

it

not seem, then, that Nature,

by a kind

foresight,

has taken care to preserve throughout the year the greenness

of this beautiful tree, to

arm

it

with thorns, suited to the

needs
to
it

of,

and

for a defence for, innocent creatures

?

which

fly

for refuge

Southey has well spoken of the peculiarity

in the foliation of the Holly, asking,

"

Oh

reader! hast thou ever stood to see the Holly Tree

The

eye that contemplates

it

well perceives

its

glossy leaves,

Ordered by an Intelligence so wise,

As might confound
" Below, a circling fence,

the Atheist's sophistries.

its

leaves are seen wrinkled

and keen

No

grazing cattle through their prickly round can reach to wound;

But, as they grow where nothing
is

to fear,

Smooth and unarmed

the pointless leaves appear."

HOLLYHOCK
This
It is a native of

(Althcea rosea).
is

Fruitfulness.
known and admired.
it

beautiful biennial

universally

China, though

some regard

as imported
is

from Syria during the Crusades.

perpetuated
in the offspring.

This species

the parent

of nearly twenty varieties, the colours of which are usually

Its flowers are

very abundant,

and the seeds are also numerous, whence it seems to have been most aptly chosen as the emblem of Fruitfulness. The
Chinese are said to represent Nature as crowned with
flowers.
its

Ill

THE HONEYSUCKLE.

THE HONEYSUCKLE
Recollections
a"-e

{Capfifoliiim PericlymeniLiii).

Bonds of Love.
of childhood are chiefly associated with
:

pleasurable incidents

hence the scenes mid which our golden

was passed are ever bound round our heart by the fondest Wander where we v/ill over the wide world, form as reo-ard. to many new ties as we may, ties the nearest and dearest that
the

human

heart can conceive

of,

pass through periods of the

is

richest
is still

enjoyment that our being

it

capable of feeling, there

is

latent

may

be

in

general

but there
in

still

a deep,

strong,

and abiding
this,

affection

for that particular spot of

our

native land where our early years were spent.

All writers

have expressed

some poets

language the most ex-

pressive, as, for instance, Scott

" Breathes there the

man, with soul so dead,

native land !"
in

Who
This

never to himself hath said,

is

my

own,

my

and here we have the same feeling shown lines with which our flower is woven
:

more humble

"

There the wild Honeysuckle, gaily drest In blending hues of yellow and of red, With rich abundance, throws its slender stems
In beautiful festoons, while its flowers shed Their fragrant sweets upon the evening air.

No

Than Woodbine

blooming shrub's more plentiful or fair, wild ;imong thy floral gems."
arc, perhaps, the last to

Those Bonds of Love

be broken which

bind the child to the parent, especially to the mother.

I

With

12

Scarlet

l]}(>iiia'a

U(>iii'v.s-in-/r/r

While JJea///

.ViivvV ,V//// (i/r.

THE HONEYSUCKLE.
her are passed the greater number of hours in infancy and

childhood
character

in that time,

under her influence and teaching, our

is

formed,

some escape the effects of an injudicious

others throw off for a time the salutary

mother's treatment

control of a wise and

good mother's teaching,

;

but

the ties

of love are not broken

relaxed.

they remain strong as ever though

Wordsworth

writes of Emily, in "

The White Doe

of

Rylstone
" Ere she hath reached

yon

rustic shed,

Hung
The

with late-flowering Woodbine, spread

walls

Along the
Revives a

and overhead,
of those hours

fragrance of the breathing flowers

memory

When

here, in this remote alcove,

fondly anxious niother strove

To teach her salutary fears And mysteries above her years."

There are Bonds of Love, so called, which produce injurious Mrs. Laurence, addressing effects to the young maiden.
Cupid, says
" Cruel boy

Woodbine all untwined, Wanders here forlorn and

free

Emblem

of the maiden's mind.

Who
and
for

has placed her trust in thee."

young men, they

:

often

work most

disastrously.

Hear

Cowper

" So Love, that clings around the noblest minds,

Forbids

th'

advancement of the soul he binds

113

THE HOP.
Then farewell promises of happier fruits, Manly designs, and learning's grave pursuits.
* *
will,
-Jf

-Jf

Who

may

pant for glory and excel."

But the Bonds of Love, which have their origin in esteem for the highest form of mental endowments and moral worth,
are pure and holy, beneficial in time and

beyond

it

and to
says
:

these Bonds, Miss

"

Twamley seems

to refer,

when she

The Honeysuckle give to Kate, so kindly and caressing Whoever wins her for a mate, will win both wealth and blessing."

THE HOP
The

{Humnlus

Liipiilus).

Injustice.

Hop-gardens of England present a beautiful appearance when the flowers are ready to be gathered, and are, perhaps, still more pleasing at the time of "hop-picking," when the scene is animated by the presence of men, women,

name Ltipidus is said to be a contraction of Lupulus Salictarius, by which name Pliny says it was known, since growing among
and
children,

engaged

in the operation.

The

specific

willows

it

twined around them, and was as destructive to

:

them

as a wolf to a flock of sheep

hence

it

appropriately

represents Injustice.

114

THE HORSE-CHESTNUT.

THE HORSE-CHESTNUT
Nearly two
tree
its

{^smlus Hippocastamim). Luxury.

and a half have passed since
it

centuries

this

was imported from

India, but as yet

does not mingle

It beautifies

gorgeous head with the trees of our

forests.

parks, decorates castles,

and lends

its

shade to our colleges

its

and

palaces.

In the early spring

we
it

see

branches studded
moist atmo-

with huge leaf-buds, smeared as

were with an unctuous

gum

a showery day comes, producing a

;

warm

sphere

then the leaf-buds open and clothe the tree with

verdure.

When
its

standing alone,

nothing can
its

exceed
flowers.

the
Its

beauty of

foliage

and the richness of

pyramidal form, clad with digitate leaves, and the mass of

spikes of delicate white and pink flowers, which appear in
thick profusion,
writes
:

render

it

an admirable object; as Howitt

" For in

honour prodigal nature weaves and profusely showers O'er its green masses of broad palmy leaves, Ten thousand waxen pyramidal flowers And gay and gracefully its head it heaves Into the air, and monarch-like it towers."
its

princely vestment,

The wood and

Its

fruit

of the Horse-chestnut are of

it

little

value.

magnitude confines
It

to the use of the wealthy as an

fitly

ornament.
floral

seems thus

to represent

Luxury

in

our

language.
I15
I

THE HYACINTH,

THE HYACINTH

{HyacintJms oriejitalis).GKUY..

Play.

Apollo and Hyacinthus

in

are related to have been engaged

playing quoits on the river Amphysus,

just
its

when a

quoit,

which

had
from

been hurled from the hand of Apollo, diverged

intended course and slew the luckless Hyacinthus.
the power to restore his friend to
life,

The god had not

borne his name.

but

chancred him into the beautiful flower which has ever since

Milton has recorded the incident as follows

" Apollo, with unwitting hand,

Whilome did slay Young Hyacinth,

his dearly-loved mate,

the pride of Spartan land

But then transformed him

to a purple flower."

THE HYDRANGEA
This
ago.
It

{Hydrangea hortensis).

You ARE
plant
is

Cold.

was brought from China about eighty years

its

highly valued for

great profusion of elegant

tinge.

flowers,

which are by nature of a rosy

By

culture,

under some circumstances, they become blue, an

florists

effect

which

seem

to

aim

at.
;

large

rooms and

halls

The plant is very ornamental in and when the flowers are blue the
it

whole plant has a cold appearance, whence

has been

thought to be emblematic of a coquette, who,

devoid of

any estimable
to her toilet.

qualities,

seeks

to

please only

by attention

ii6

JHE ICE

PLAINT.

THE
This

ICE

PLANT

{Mesei?ibryantkemum crystalliniun).

the
it

Your Looks freeze

singular

me.
It

plant

is

much admired.
The
leaves

needs

warm atmosphere
flourishes in

of a hothouse, except in summer,

air.

when
is

the open

are covered

with
in

transparent vesicles

filled

with water.

When
it

the plant

the shade,

it

has the appearance of being sprinkled with

to a burning sun,
it

dew

when exposed
it

seems to be heavy

with icy crystals, which give

accounts
has received the
it,

great brilliancy.

On

these

popular

name

of

Ice Plant.

Cowper, alluding to

says,
" the spangled beau,

Ficoides, glitters bright the winter long."

THE
Milton
speaks of
its

IRIS. Message.
on which account
this

" Iris all hues,"

plant received

name

at a

very remote period.

These

colours are very brilliant, and are as various as the colours

and shades of the rainbow.

of good tidings to mortals.

Iris

has ever been the bearer

Priam mourned the death of Hector, and longed sore to ransom his body, dragged about by the relentless Achilles, she was sent by Zeus to the
heart-broken old

When

man

to say,

" Fear nothing, Priam, son of Dardanus,

Nor

let

thy

mind be troubled
117

not for

ill,

IVV.

But here on kindly errand am I sent thee I come a messenger from Jove, Who from on high looks down on thee with eyes
:

To

Of pitying love he bids thee ransom home The godlike Hector's corpse and with thee take Such presents as may melt Achilles' heart. {Homer, Lord Derby's Trans.)
;
;

and straightway he does her bidding with success.

IVY

{Hcdera

helix).

FRIENDSHIP.
of heaven,

" Friendship, peculiar

boon

The noble mind's

delight

and

pride,

To men and angels only given, To all the lower world denied."

Friendship
detach

is

represented by a device in which Ivy

fallen tree,

is

growing round a

with the motto,

"

Nothing can

hung with Ivy, and a branch was presented to a newly-wedded husband, symbolizing the indissoluble union he had just

me from

it."

In Greece the hymeneal altar was

formed.

"

Nothing," says a popular writer,

it

"

can separate the

it

Ivy from the tree which

its

once embraces;

adorns

it

with

foliage in the harsh season

;

when
its

its

branches bear only

it

the hoar-frost the tree

is

the companion of
;

destinies,

falls

when

overthrown

death even does not work separation,

perpetual verdure the withered trunk

and
of

it

decorates with

its

its

past supporter."
soil

These words are

true.

'J1ie

l\'y

is

held to the

by

its

own

roots,
it

and derives nothing from

embraces.

the substance of the tree v^hich

ii8

The

protectt)i

INDIAN JASMINE.
of ruins,
it

it is

the ornament of the old walls which support

it

receives nothing
it

beyond

but, a constant

friend,

it

dies

where

attaches itself
"

The

Ivy, that staunchest

its

and

firmest friend,
to lend
it

That hastens

succouring

arm

To the And its

ruined fane, where in youth

sprung,

pliant tendrils in sport were flung.

When

the sinking buttress and mouldering tower

Seem only the spectres of former power. Then the Ivy clusters around the wall,

And
The

for tapestry

Striving in beauty

hangs in the moss-grown and youth to dress

its loneliness,"-

hall,

desolate place in

TwAMLEY.

INDIAN JASMINE

{Bignonia

rart^/V^;/j-). Separation.

How wonderful
The
butterfly

the

harmony which we observe on

all

sides
life.

from the relative adaptation of animal and vegetable

adorns the rose
; ;

the nightingale lends her

sweet notes to our groves

the bee, in the act of pilfering

them, gives animation to the flowers which yield their rich

treasure.

Thus, throughout nature, the insect

tree,

is

fitted for

the

flower, the bird for the

the quadruped to the plant.

of things, and he alone

Man
in

alone can enjoy the

harmony

can break the unison and mutual dependence which exists

the universe.

His greedy and rash hand snatches an

its

animal from the climate suited to

hich would have
eetness

being, and

thinking

only of his own gratification, he too often forgets the plant

made

his

new

slave unmindful
If

of the

of

its

native

country.

he brings the plant.

THE JONQUIL.
he neglects the insect which resorts to
enhvens
it,

it,

the bird which

its

the quadruped which feeds upon

its
its

foHage and

reposes under
Virginia,
still

shade.

Mark,

for instance, the

Jasmine of
flowers.
It
it

with

beautiful verdure
us.

and purple

remains a stranger amongst

We

always prefer to

our lovely honeysuckle, from which bees delight to sip the

honey, off which the goat browses

its

its foliage,

and which supplies

rich Virginian
if

fruit

to

myriads of blackbirds, warblers, chaffinches and

goldfinches.

We

do not doubt but that the

in

Jasmine would equal these attractions

see
it

our eyes

we could
its

enlivened

b}'

the humming-bird of Florida, which, in

the vast forests of the

tiful foliage

new

world,
all

makes choice of
It

beauits
;

in

preference to

other shelter.
it

builds

nest in one of the leaves, which

it

rolls

up

like a

trumpet
from

finds

its

food

in

its

red flowers, which resemble in shape

it

those of the foxglove, whose nectareous glands

it

sips

conceals within

them
its

its

little

body, when the appearance

it

is

as of an emerald set in coral, and

sometimes goes
little

in so
life
it

far as to

allow of

being caught.

This

bird

is

the

and the
desolate

soul, the perfection of the flower

its

which cherishes
is

separated from

aerial guest, this elegant twiner

lost all her

like a

widow who has

charms.

THE JONQUIL
Thomson
writes

{Narcissus jonquilla).
"

DESIRE.
fragrance,"
Prior,

of

Jonquils of potent

quality which several poets have noted.

Thus

"The
The

smelling tuberose and Jonquil declare

stronger impulse of the evening air,"
1

20

JUNIPER.

and Shenstone.

"A various

wreath of odorous flowers she made,

;

Gay motleyed pinks and sweet Jonquils she chose The violet blue, that on the moss-bank grows
;

All sweet to sense/'

In " Flora Domestica,"

also, this is

alluded

to,

" Gallant Jonquils, fair tuberoses,

Short

is

your sweet

life ;"

and the American poet Bidlake

"

says,
the
air,

The Jonquil loads with potent breath

And

rich in golden glory nods."

Its strong- fragrance, at first agreeable,

soon becomes oppres-

sive

it

is

a pretty flower,

and by the Turks has been made

the

emblem

of Desire.

JUNIPER
"

{Juniperiis cormmuiis).

ASYLUM.

SuccoUR.

Sweet

is

the Juniper, but sharp his bough."

Spenser.

The
smoke
burn

ancients consecrated this shrub to the

Eumenides

the

of

its

burning green branches was the incense which

;

they offered to the deities of the lower regions

its

they used to

berries

at funerals, to

ward

off malevolent spirits.

The simple peasantry now

Juniper berry purifies the
dwelling from evil genii.

think that the perfume of the

air,

and protects

their

humble

121

^=^^

LANTANA.
This shrub
yield

is

sometimes grown
In

in
its

gardens, but

it

does not

kindly to cultivation.

wild state

it

delights in

the borders of forests.

Weak and

timid creatures seek an

the
earth

asylum under
around.

its

long branches, which cover

in

The hare
it,

her extremity squats with confidence

beneath
fault
;

odour puts her canine pursuers at the thrush builds in it a house for her young, and
for its strong
its fruit
;

feeds

upon

the entomologist finds

among

its

twigs,

bristling with thorns,

no other
is

shelter,

numerous shining insects, which have and which seem to divine that this shrub

destined to be their refuge.

LANTANA
The Cammara
as
is

(Z. 6>2:;;^;;2^m). Sharpness.

a native of the

West

Indies.

It is

small bushy plant, Avith flowers white as snow, and varying,

pink, yellow,
its

and orange.

It

is

of a peculiar

aromatic

odour, but
that
if

twigs and branches are so beset with thorns,

we

bring the hand into

contact with

them we

are

instantly sensible of their Sharpness.

LARCH
The
rises

{Larix couniuinis).

BOLDNESS.
where
it it

Larch loves to grow upon

feet.
it
it

lofty mountains,
is

from thirty to eighty

Hence
clcjthes

fit

cnibK-m of

Boldness, as well also because

seems to thrive where scarce

with
soil

ny (Aher

tree

\\ill

grow, and

the almost

122

THE LARKSPUR.
bare rocks of our hill-sides in a few years.
valuable; tree and as
It
is

an

in-

we have passed over different barren and bleak wastes of England, we have oft been surprised that the owners have not made use of this tree, both to
ameliorate
artificial

the

climate,

and

clothe

the

surface

with an

covering of earth.

THE LARKSPUR
The
calyx in

{Dclphhiium consolida).S\NiTl^'KS^.
divided into five
the
base,
is

this pretty field

flower
at

is

oblong segments,
straight or curved,

with

long spur
its

either called

whence

name.

This species

Pied-d'Alotiette

by the French.

The whole genus

needing
little

are popular

border flowers, perennial, and

cultivation.

or no care in

THE LAUREL
"

{Laurus nobilis).Gi.O^Y.
as

Glory

claims

the

Bay,"

its

emblem,

says Miss

Twamley, and of its leaves has the wreath of The warrior, in games and war, been formed.
" his

victory,

both

crown of laurel-leaves
victor weaves."

With bloody hand when

ScOTT.

and Percival

tells

us that

" Fame's bright star and glory's swell By the glossy leaf of the Bay are given ;"
123

LA URESTINUS.
though no one needs reminding of
the latter city,
this

who has

read or
In
for

heard aught of the history of ancient Greece or Rome.

for

ordinary uses at
the
laurel

the temple, and

wreathing the

altars,
;

was

obtained

near the

fountain of Castalia

but on rare and very important occa-

sions the citizens sent to

Tempe

for their Laurel.

The Sweet-Bay has

philosophers,

also been used for wreaths to

crown

and

orators,

and poets

and Herrick wished

that a Laurel tree might be

writes,
"

planted upon his grave.

He

funeral stone or verse,

covet none
I

But only crave of you that

may have
;

sacred Laurel springing from-my grave

to

Which being

seen blest with perpetual greene,

May grow
As

be not so much called a

tree,

the eternal

monument

of me."

LAURESTINUS
This
to our

{Vibtcriztnn

ti?i7is).

DIE IF NEGLECTED.
one of our prettiest
highly ornamental
its

native of the South of

Europe

is

and most popular evergreen shrubs.

flowers at a season

It is

groves and shrubberies, displaying

small white

when

all

other shrubs have shed theirs.

Neither the scorching breath of summer,

north wind of winter, robs this shrub of
preserve
it,

nor the cold

Still,

its

charms.

to

it

needs care, and there are

so severe that

ground.

Tlic
it

now and then winters the frost will destroy its vitality down to the emblem of constant and gentle friendship, we
it

should say

al\\a}s desires to please, but

124

dies

if

neglected.

LA VENDER.

LAVENDER

{Lavandula

spied).

DISTRUST.
dwell under

A
the

NOTION

prevailed in days of yore that the Asp, a most

viper,
;

dangerous kind of

delighted chiefly to

Lavender plant

which on that account was always

approached with Distrust.

It yields

an agreeable scent by

distillation,

and

its

dried

stems and leaves and flowers supply a most pleasing means

of perfuming
its "

many

domestic

articles.

Miss Strickland says

writes,

fragrance never dies."

"

Shenstone

And
To

Lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom

Shall be, erewhile, in arid bundles bound,

lurk amidst the labours of her loom,

And crown

her kerchiefs clean with mickle rare perfume."

LETTUCE

{Lactuca sativd).
plant

COLDNESS.
emblem
of
is

This well-known garden

more

is

the suitable

Coldness, but of Coldness most agreeable, since nothing

delicious to the palate than the crisp, juicy heart of the

Lettuce in the hot days of summer.

LILAC
The
of

{Syringa vidgaris\YYBJ^T

EMOTION OF LovE.
of the
first

Lilac has been

made

the

emblem
greater

Emotion
this

Love, because

nothing has

charms

than

pleasing shrub on the return of Spring.

125

The

freshness of

LILAC.

its
its

verdure, the flexibility of

flowers, their

its

branches, the abundance of

beauty so brief and transient, their colour so

soft

and

varied, all

remind us of those delightful emotions,

which add charms to beauty and impart to youth a divine

gracefulness.

The

Lilac, for

aught we can see

in

it,

seems to have been

!

formed simply to gratify the sense of sight and smell

a combination of fragrance, freshness, grace,
it
!

What
is

and delicacy
!

what variety
"

in detail,

what beauty
now

as a
white,

whole

The

Lilac various in array,

Now

sanguine, and her beauteous head

spikes pyramidal, as
if

now

set

With purple

Studious of ornament, yet unresolved

Which hue

she most approved, she chose them

all."

COWPER.

Two American
fume.

poets speak the most decidedly of

its

per-

Willis says,
"

The

Lilac has a load of

balm

For every wind that

stirs ;"

and Longfellow,
"

How

slowly through the lilac-scented air

!"

Descends the tranquil moon

126

THE

LILY.

THE LILY
"

{Liliiim candidiiin).

Majesty.

The

Lily's height

bespoke command,
;

A fair imperial flower

She seemed designed

for Flora's

hand,

The

sceptre of her power."

Cowper.

From

the middle of a tuft of long leaves, which In unfolding

fall

back one upon another, so as to form a round green couch, there rises an elegant and stately stem, which
themselves
is

terminated by a cluster of long buds of a soft and shining

green.
this

Time Imperceptibly

swells

and blanches the buds of

pretty bunch, and,

towards the middle of June, they

In six petals of sparkling white-

bend downwards and unfold

ness.

Their union forms those admirable vases.

In

which

nature delights to set golden stamens, from which gush forth

wavelets of perfume.

These beautiful

flowers,

half-Inclined

around the lofty stem, seem to exact and receive the homage
of nature
;

but yet the Lily, notwithstanding her charms, needs

full

a court In order to appear In her

cold and as one forsaken
;

lustre.

Alone, she

Is

surrounded by
the shade.
:

many
Is

other flowers,
;

she throws them

all Into

She

a sovereign

her

charm

Is

the charm of Majesty

"

The fair Lily's bell was set With a bright dewy coronet."

MisS

Browne.

The

Lily has

ever been regarded also as the

whiteness, and hence of purity.

emblem of So long ago as when the

apocryphal books of the Old Testament were written, no

title

could better distinguish the Jewish matron whose spot

127

LILY OF THE VALLE\

there recorded, than

less

chastity

is

Susannah, the White

Lily.

LILY OF THE VALLEY

{Cojivailaria majalis).

Return of Happiness.
" Fair flower, that, lapt in lowly glade, dost hide beneath the greenwood

shade,

Than whom

the vernal gale

!"

None

fairer

wakes, on bank or spray, our England's Lily of the May,

Our

Lily of the vale

Bishop Mant.
the recesses of

This
streams.
flowers,

greatly admired

flower loves

our

valleys, the

shade of oak-trees, and the banks of flowing

the early days of
their

From
and

May

she unfolds her ivory

around.

scatters

fragrance

Then

the

nightingale forsakes our hedges and our thickets, and seeks

in

the forest glade a companion, a loneliness and an echo

his

which responds to

song

led

by

the perfume of the Lily

;

of the Valley, the lovely bird soon finds an agreeable asylum

there

he takes up his abode, where he celebrates,

proclaims to him the

in

most
in

melodious notes, solitude and love, and the flower which,

each succeeding Spring,
Happiness.
Shelley calls our flower a Naiad,
"

Return of

Whom

The Naiad-like youth makes

light of
its

Lily of the Vale,

so fair

and passion so
is

pale,

That the Through

tremulous bells

seen
;"

their pavilions of tender

green

128

THE LIME TREE.

Wordsworth speaks of
" that
"

"^W
^igVp

1
shy
plant,"-

The

Lily of the Vale,

That loves the ground, and from the sun withholds Her pensive beauty from the breeze her sweets ;"
;

and Thomson bids us

"

" seek the bank,"

Where, scattered wide, the Lily of the Vale Her balmy essence breathes."
of

Wififen

thus expresses his admiration

the

Lily of the

Valley,
,

"

Her Her

flower, the vestal

nun who

(lone) abideth

breath, that of celestials meekly

;

wooed

From heaven
Her from

her

leaf,

the holy veil which hideth

;

the shrine where purity resideth

Spring's darling, nature's pride, the sylvan's queen."

Who

does not promptly join

in this

What

flowers

do we
the

look for so frequently, so eagerly, as for those of the Lily

of the Valley
return

which

attend,

if

they do not

foretell,

happy days of Spring and follow the dreariness and gloom of winter }
of the

Surtimer,

which

THE LIME TREE

"

{Tilia rubra}. Co^]\:gai.

Love.

murmur

of the bee

Dwells ever

in the

honeyed Lime."

Mrs. Hemaxs.

Zeus and Hermes,

in

human
all

form, visited Phrygia.

They
kindly.

were refused hospitality by

until

they came to the dwellentertained

ing of Philemon and Baucis,

who

them

Zeus compensated them by taking them to a

lofty eminence,

t^

129

o=.^p^

LUCERN.

and preserving them from a flood which covered the lowland.

his

There also was a temple of Zeus, of which he made

hosts the guardians.

He

allowed them to die at the

same moment, and changed them into trees, Baucis into a Lime, as supposed, and Philemon into an Oak, hence the Lime is the emblem of Conjugal Love.
Beauty, grace, simplicity,

extreme gentleness, have ever

in

been regarded as indispensable qualities

All these

a loving wife.

we may
it

find

symbolized

in

the

Linden Tree.

Every Spring
Its

clothes itself with foliage of a pale green.

flowers are very odoriferous,

bee,

and supply an abundance

its

of honey to the

which
of

is

always buzzing amongst

flowers
is

branches.

An

infusion

its

valuable beverage in

some

cases

of

deemed a most sickness. Its wood is

Its twigs

turned

into bowls,

dishes,

and doctor's boxes.

Its

make

baskets and cradles.

it

bark furnished writing

upon.

tablets.

Shoemakers use
Cathedral

for
it

cutting leather

The most
St. Paul's
;

elegant use to which

;

is
;

applied

is

wood-carving.

Chatsworth

Trinity College,

Cambridge

and

many
Its

other famous structures are ornamented

are so great that
is
it

by

its

means.

services

well represents the

good

wife,

whose hand
it,

ever busy, and whose

mind

is

capable

of directing

so as to render

home happy.

LUCERN
LuCERN grows
o
in
it

{Medicago sativa).
tlic
is

Lii'K.

same spot
life.

for

long time, but

when

it

leaves

it,

for ever.

On

tliis
is

account

it

has
to

M^

been made the emblem of

Nothing

more pleasing

^^^

MADDER.
the eye than a field of Lucern in bloom, which resembles a

green carpet variegated with

violet.

Where sown

it

yields
it
it.

abundant

crops,

without demanding care.

Mown

down,
to

springs again

freely.
it.

The young
It is

heifer

rejoices

see

Sheep are fond of

delight
in
it.

a delicacy for deer, and horses

it

Indigenous to our land,

is

gift
it

direct

from heaven.
out

We

own

it

without an

effort,

we enjoy
often

with-

observation

or acknowledgment.
to
this

We

prefer

flower of fleeting charms

useful plant, just as

abandon, too frequently, a certain good to run after

pleasures which take wing and flee away.

we empty

MADDER
This
dye
plant
is

{Rubia

tinctorinn).

Calumny.
and
scarlet

well

known

as yielding a red
It is for
it

for clothiers

and

calico-printers.

the most part

imported from Holland, though at one time

here under
difficulties.

was cultivated
it

Sheep and animals feeding upon

it
;

have their milk and bones dyed by

alternately
centric

and when they feed

in

upon

this

and

grass, the

bones are dyed

eating
it,

con-

circles.

Sheep's teeth,

when

are

tinged

as with the blood of a victim, which imputes a sanguinary

disposition to an animal the

most simple

thus malice will

sometimes
cence
itself.

profit

by a

false

appearance to calumniate inno-

131

MADWORT.

MADWORT
A

{Alysstim saxatile).

TRANQUILLITY.
the
season.
It

VERY ornamental

plant

early in

was

thought by the ancients to possess the property of allaying

anger,

and consequently of producing Tranquillity.

still

Some

persons
quality.

entertain the notion that

it

has that valuable

MANCHINEEL
The
fruit

{Hippomane Mancinelld).

DUPLICITY.

of the Manchineel has

a pleasing appearance

and an agreeable fragrance, which tempt one to eat it. Its spongy and flabby substance, however, contains a milky and treacherous juice, which is at first unsavoury, but is quickly
perceived to be so highly caustic as to burn at once the lips, the palate, and the tongue. It is thus a fit emblem of
Duplicity.

MAIDENHAIR
Plixy says Adiantum into
are
told

{Adiantitm Capillus-vcncris).

Discretion.
that
it

is

to
it

no purpose that you plunge the

always remains dry.
conceal

water, for

Even
It

so

we

docs this pretty fern

its

from botanists the

intrusts to

secret processes in

flowering and seeding.

Zcphynis alone the invisible germs of its offspring. That god makes choice of their birthplace and nursery. Somc132

THE MANDRAKE.
times he
screens

is

pleased to

make

their

wavy
in
;

hair the veil which

from observation
from the

the cave,

which the solitary

at others

naiad sleeps

earliest

period

he bears

them upon

his

wings and makes them radiant stars of green an ancient

castle, or else arranges

in the turrets of

light festoons,

and decorates with them the cool

them as resorts and

loved shades of shepherds.

fault,

Thus

this fern

puts science at

and hides her secret origin from eyes the most pene;

trating

while she hastens to reward by her beauty the hand

that nurses her.

THE MANDRAKE
The
drake
;

{Mandragora

officinalis). Kk^yiy.

ancients attributed remarkable virtues to the

Man-

but as they have not

left

any accurate description of

know to what species they gave the name. Mountebanks who are able to make a profit out of popular errors, know how to give the appearance of a little man to the roots of bryony and other plants, which, they
the plant,

we do

not

assure the credulous,

are

genuine roots of the Mandrake.

They

allege that they are only found in a small canton of

is

China, which

almost inaccessible.

They
cries

assert that these

Mandrakes
says,

utter the

most lamentable

when

torn up

by

the roots, a statement

made

use of by Longfellow, where he

me where that wondrous Mandrake grows, Whose magic root, torn from the earth with groans,
" teach

At midnight

hour, can scare the fiends away,

And make

the

mind

proHfic in

its

fancies !"

133

MARIGOLD.
They
after.

further affirm that

he

who

uproots them dies soon

A vohmic

might be

filled

with an account of the fanciful,

absurd, and superstitious ideas, which have produced

many

old errors as to the opposite virtues of a plant which, perhaps,

never existed.

MARIGOLD
All

{Calendula

officinalis),

Pain.

Chagrin.
which

the world

knows

this golden-coloured flower,

symbolizes mental sorrow, as when Phoebus

"down
Bedewed

declines, she droops

till

and mourns,
;

as 'twere with tears,

he returns
is

And
As
if

*
she

veils

her flowers

when he

gone

did contemn (despise)

To

wait upon a

meaner

light

than him."

WITHERS.
singu-

This flower offers to the observer

larities.

many remarkable

blooms the whole year, or during the calends of each month, whence its name Calendula, Its flowers are
It

open from 9 A.M. to 3 the sun, and follow him

P.M.
in his

only

yet they always turn to

course from east to west.

The many

sorrowful signs of the Marigold

may
the

be modified

in

ways.

Joined with roses,

;

it

is

emblem
;

of the

sweet sorrows of love

diffLTcnt

alone,

it

expresses ennui
tlie
;

\v()\cn

with
of

flowers

it

represents
ill

ever-var)-ing
tlic

course

mixture of good and

in

East, a

bouqu

134

MARYGOLD AND
Marigolds and Poppies says, "
is

CYPRESS.

I will

soothe your

grief."

It

by the like modifications that the Language of Flowers becomes the interpreter of our sentiments.
especially

MARYGOLD AND CYPRESS. Despair.

Cypress
of Despair.
is

the
;

emblem

of

Dcfith

the

Marygold

of

Chagrin and Pain

together, the

two plants are the emblem

MARSH MALLOW
Emblem
the poor.
their thirst,
It

{Althcea officinalis). V>Y.^Y.Y\QYMQ-K,

of Beneficence, the

Marsh Mallow

is

the friend of

grows naturally by the stream which quenches

in
;

and near the cottages which they dwell

and we sometimes see
garden flowers.
is

but

it

yields to cultivation,

its

unassuming
is

stalks mingling with our

bitterness,

It
;

free

from

and

its

appearance
its

agreeable

its

flesh-coloured

flowers harmonize with

leaves and stems, and the whole

It is

plant
alike

is

covered with a silken silvery down.

the eye, and
to

pleasant
it.

to

the hand which touches

roots, are equally useful.
its

Its

flowers, stems, leaves,

and

Syrups

and lozenges are made with

his

juices,

and are as agreeable to

the palate, as they are beneficial to health.

The

traveller in

wanderings sometimes finds the root a healthy and sub-

stantial food.
all

We

need only to look about our

;

feet to find

nature

full

of love and foresight

but this gentle mother

has often hidden,

virtues under the

in plants as well as in

man, the greatest

most unpretending

aspect.

^d^

^c^

MARVEL OF PERU.

MARVEL OF PERU
This
is

{Mirabilis y^/^/^). Timidity.

It
is

one of the most fragrant of flowers.

In a state of cultivation
it

highly

ornamental.
varieties.

sports into
it

many
Hence
first

Our

continental neighbours call

Belle-de-nuit,

because
it is

its

flowers spread their beauty to the night.

regarded as the emblem of Timidity,

here

are the

four lines of an address to this flower

referring to
its

by Constant Dubois,

supposed timidity

in

shunning the brilliancy of

day, and preferring the subdued light of evening.

" Solitaire

amante des

nuits,

Pourquoi ccs timides alarmes,

Ouand ma muse au

jour que tu fuis

S'apprete a revdler tes charmes.?"

MEADOW ANEMONE
The
inhabitants of
field

{Anemone

pratensis).'^\(Z-K^Y.'?>%.

some

districts are of opinion that this

its

ornamental

flower exhales from

dark purple blossom

a pernicious odour, which so poisons the air that they

who

breathe

it

are subject to the most frightful maladies.

MEADOW SAFFRON
Towards

{Colchicnm antumjtale).~UY best

Days are
the last days of

past.
there

summer
is

may

be seen,

shining upon the green sward of moist meadows, a flower like

the Spring Crocus.

That flower

the

Autumnal Crocus.
days of summer.

Far from inspiring us with joy and hope, as the former does,
this proclaims the departure of the Ijright

136

/^

Lil/LCi/iiirnU' ,{ whitej

Marve/

n/'

Pfn/

.Sj/idtTwoji.

AIEADOW SWEET.
This plant was supposed to be indigenous
Colchis,
in the fields of

and was mythically alleged

fluid

to

have sprung from

some drops of the

popular belief that
all

which Medea prepared to restore the

This fabulous origin has led to the
Saffron
is

aged yEson to youth.

kinds of sickness.

Meadow

a preservative against
it

The Swiss

attach

to the neck of

their infants, as a

charm against every

evil.

Meadow

Saffron possesses great attractions for the scientific

its

naturalist in

singular botanical phenomena.

Its corolla,

of which there are six divisions, of a pale violet purple, has

neither leaves nor stem.
ivory,
its

long tube, nearly as white as

is

which

is

nothing but the prolongation of the flower,

only support.

At

the bottom

of this tube nature has

deposited the seed, which ripens only in the following Spring.

Its inclosing sheath,

buried deep under the grass, braves the

in the beautiful

perils of winter

and

days of the young year,

the
soil,

this species
itself to

of cradle rises up from

and submits
green
effect of the
its

the sun's rays, surrounded

by a

tuft of large

leaves.

Thus

this plant, reversing the

its

common
If ever
it

seasons, mingles

fruit

with the flowers of Spring, and

of

flowers

with the

fruits
its

Autumn.
fled

Melancholy
dedicates
it

weaves a garland of
to

pale bluish flowers,

happy days which have

never more to return.

MEADOW SWEET {Spircea

Ulmaria).

USELESSNESS.

This herbaceous plant, which is also called in France the Queen of the Meadows, has been designated a useless
beauty, because the chemist and the physician have failed to
137

o=^C

MICHAELMAS
detect

DAISY.

any valuable property

it.

in

it

and because animals do

is

not feed upon

It

is

very fragrant, very pretty, and

in

always a pleasing object

the latter part of

Summer

in

our moist meadows, and by the side of ponds and pools.

MICHAELMAS DAISY
" We'll pass

{Aster Tradescanti).Ai:^K-

THOUGHT.
by the garden that leads to the gate, But where is its gaiety now ? The Michaelmas Daisy blows lonely and late, And the yellow leaf whirls from the bough." Taylor.

The
all

Michaelmas Daisy begins to display her bloom, when

It
is

other flowers are becoming rare.

as an After-thought

of Flora, w^ho bestows

upon us a parting smile on her quitting

our parterres.

MIGNONETTE

{Reseda odorata).

YoUR

QUALITIES

SURPASS YOUR ChARMS.

" Mignonette's

Without one To draw the

* *

tint

meek humble form, upon her modest garb

wandering eyes,
*
is

idle stare of

rich

In precious fragrance

that lowly one,

I

So

lovx'd for her

sweet qualities, that

first

Slujuld

woo her

amid a world of

tlowers."

TWAMLEY.

i.n ILIC

more than a century ago the Mignonette was

]'^g)'pt.

brtAight to us from
r

Linn.'uus could think of nothing

to the divine

ambrosia wherewith he could compare

138

MILKWORT.
The perfume
at

it.

is

most

delicious
It

and of the greatest blooms from

or
earliest

strength

sunrise
latest

and

sunset.
in

Spring to
garden.

Autumn,

the

border
till

the
;

window
it

Its

blooming may be delayed

winter

may

even be converted into a ligneous plant, by careful means, so

as to form a small shrub,

and

live for years.

Mignonette has nothing

notice, but its
it

in its
it

appearance to attract our

a universal favourite
;

perfume makes

thus

has become the

emblem

of one who, without pretension to

beauty, possesses qualities which

command profound
**

respect

and

affection,

and constrain us

to say,

Your

qualities sur-

pass your charms."

MILKWORT
This

{Polygala vidgaris).

Hermitage.
is

plant, with pretty blue

flowers,

always covered
Hermits,
planted
it

with foliage similar to the leaves of Box.

formerly loved to dwell in elevated
their abodes.
localities,
it

who

about

The

ancients thought

good food
signifies

for cattle,
It is full
iiiilk.

and that

it

increased the quantity of their milk.

its

of a milky juice, whence

name, which

much

MISTLETOE {Vismm
" Oaks,

albicm).

RISE ABOVE all.

from whose branches Garlands of Spanish moss and of mystic Mistletoe flaunted, Such as the Druids cut down with golden hatchets at Yule-tide."

Longfellow.

The

Mistletoe

is

a small shrub which grows on the top of

is its

large trees.

The grand oak

slave,

and nourishes

it

with

MOCK ORANGE.
its

substance.

The Druids had

sort

of adoration

for a

weakness so superior to strength.

gods.
Balder, son of the goddess

This master of the oak

appeared to them to be equally formidable to

Friga,

men and

to

was invulnerable

through her powerful conjurations.

His principal enemy,

however, discovered that she had overlooked the Mistletoe,

and during the

fight of the gods,

he came to the blind Heder,

and desired him

piece of the plant.
lifeless.

to

aim

at

Balder, presenting

him with a
fell

Heder hurled the branch, and Balder

Thus was the invulnerable son of a goddess killed by a Mistletoe branch thrown by one blind. Such is said to be the origin of the reverence shown to this shrub by the
Gauls.

Longfellow sings of

this,

" Balder the Beautiful is dead, is dead.

tC-

*
air
;

All things in earth

and

Never

to

do him harm

bound were by magic spell even the plants and stones

;
!

All save the Mistletoe, the sacred Mistletoe

Haeder, the blind old god, whose feet are shod with silence,

Pierced through that gentle breast with his sharp spear, by fraud

Made

of the Mistletoe, the accursed Mistletoe !"

MOCK ORANGE
One
brother.

{PJiiladclpJins corona^^iiis).

FRATERNAL

Affection.
of the

Ptolemies,

Kings of Egypt, made himself

for his

worthy of the highest regard by the love he showed

kind of syringa has been consecrated to his

140

:^

o-^P

MOONWORT,
memory, and
his

surname Philadelphus, that

is

to

say,

Brotherly Love, serves to designate the genus of which there

are four species in cultivation.

MOONWORT
This

{Lunaria

^/r;/;/zi-). Forgetfulness.

plant has several names, which have been given to

silvery silicles,

it

on account of the broad round

moon-shaped.
brilliancy,

which are
its

The film which presents this form retains and has some resemblance to a piece of money,
by the French.
by
his
It is said that

or

to a cake called Oublie

Rene,

Duke

of Bar and Lorraine, having been taken prisoner at the

battle of Thoulongean, painted

Lunaria, and sent

it

to his people to

own hand a branch of reproach them for their

tardiness in securing his freedom.

MOSS. Maternal
Lapland

Love.

mothers are said to wrap their infant offspring in Nothing can form a softer ermine, and cradle them in moss.
couch,

and when we think of ourselves as weaned

excursion,

in

pedestrian

we

fancy that a moss-covered bank,

beneath an umbrageous
desirable.

tree,

might be the luxury then most

Wordsworth
"

says,

There

is

a fresh and lovely sight,

heap, a
hill

A beauteous

of moss,

Just half a foot in height.

All lovely colours there you see,

141

o^

THE MOSS ROSE.

All colours that were ever seen

And mossy

net-work too

is

there

As if by hand of lady fair The work had woven been

And

cups, the darlings of the eye,

is

So deep

their vermilion dye.

!

Ah me

what lovely tints are there Of olive-green and scarlet bright, In spikes, and branches, and in stars, Green, red, and pearly white !"
!

THE MOSS ROSE

"

{Rosa mtiscosa).l.o\E.

Voluptuousness.
The angel of the flowers, one day, beneath a Rose-tree sleeping lay Awaking from his light repose, the angel whispered to the Rose,

'

fondest object of

my

care,

still

fairest found,

For the sweet shade thou

thee
'
:

giv'st

where all is fair to me, ask what thou wilt, 'tis granted
;

Then,' said the

bestow.'

Rose, with deepened glow,

in silent

'

on

me

another grace
flower

The

spirit

paused
?

thought

What grace was there the

had not
'Twas but a And robed
exceed."

moment o'er
From
tlic

the Rose a veil of

moss the angel throws

in nature's simplest

weed, could there a flower that Rose

Gcrfnan.

Moss Rose the rose without a thorn and its flower surrounded by a soft and pleasing verdure, one has said that Voluptuousness wished to dispute with Love for this
seeing the
beautiful flower.

On

Madame
it

dc

(icnlis says, that,

on her return
Paris

from luigland,
see the
first

was

at her

house where

all

went

to

rose of this kind.

142

That

lad}'

was then

cele-

4^

MUG WORT.
brated,

and

it

is

supposed that to

see

the

Moss Rose,
force

was nothing but a pretext with the crowd to

selves into her society.

them-

MUGWORT
This
parts of
species of

{Artemisia vulgaris)

Happiness.
some
render beer

Wormwood
It

is

said to be used in

Sweden

in the place of hops, so as to

more

stimulating.

was

at one time

supposed to possess
suffering

valuable properties, able to relieve persons

from
to

maladies, the removal of which tended to restore

their usual state of health,

them

and thus endow them with as

much

of happiness as

is

allotted to mortals.

MUSHROOM
There
poison.

{Agaricus campestris)

SUSPICION.

are several species of

The Ostiaks

of

preparation which causes

Mushroom which are a deadly Siberia, make of some of them a the death of the strongest man in
;

twelve hours.

Many

in

our climate are also dangerous

and

there are those which contain a fluid so acrid, that a single

drop put upon the tongue

rooms, and

raises a blister.

during their long Lent, sustain

Yet the Russians, themselves chiefly on Mush-

we

ourselves regard the species

named

at the

head of
delicacy.

this

article,

dressed

in

various ways, as a choice

safely lay aside Suspicion

Nevertheless

we cannot
143

in considering the character of those

submitted to

us,

before

^^

MOSCHA TEL.
making use of them, lest we should unwittingly partake of such as would produce injurious effects, though it might be
short of death.

MOSCHATEL
This
to plant,

{Adoxa Mosc/iaUllma). We AKl^ESS.

called the

commonly
dislike

the morning and in the evening a

Musk musky

Plant, has early in

odour, which, even

It
is

persons

who
is

musk,

is

pleasant.
;

general

all

over Europe, delighting in woods

implies,
it

but, as its generic

name

without note.

MUSK ROSE
The

(Rosa moschata).

CAPRICIOUS
fine

BEAUTY.

small flowers of this Rose would be wanting in effect

but that they grow in panicles.

also renders

Their

musky
is,

fragrance

them

pleasing.
;

The

plant
it

however, very
in situations
it

capricious, so to say

for all at

once

droops

which at

first

appeared most favourable.

;

One year

is
it

laden with innumerable bouquets of flowers

the following

may have no bloom

at

all.

THE MYROBALAN
This
tree
is

{Prunus

ccrasifci'd).

Bereavement.
in

like

the plum-tree, bearing white flowers in

fruit

April and May, and offering to us a

which resembles

form and colour a very beautiful

birds reject tliat wliich

cherry.
;

This contains
so that even

nothing but an insipid and disagreeable juice

we would
144

leave to them.

#i^

MYRTLE.

MYRTLE
"The

{Myrttcs communis),
live."

LovE.
Scott.
;

Myrtle bough bids lovers

Walter

oak has ever been dedicated to Jupiter the laurel to Apollo the olive to Minerva and the Myrtle to Venus.
;
;

The

Perpetual
flowers,

verdure,

supple

branches

laden

with

fragrant

which seem destined to adorn the brow of Love, has

procured for the Myrtle the honour of being the tree of

Venus.

The

chief temple of that goddess

at

Rome was

surrounded by a myrtle grove.

shipped under the

In

Greece she was worshe rose from the

name

of Myrtea.

When

foam of the sea she was presented with a wreath of Myrtle. She was crowned with Myrtle by the Cupids. Being surprised by a band of Satyrs on coming out of her bath, she
took refuge behind a Myrtle bush.
this tree that
It

was with a branch of

she chastised the audacious Psyche,

who com-

pared her own fleeting beauty to the immortal loveliness of

the goddess.

Subsequently the garland of Love has someAfter the rape of the

with Myrtle in
then shared the

times decorated the warrior's brow.

Sabines, the

honour of

Romans crowned themselves Venus victrix. The Myrtle crown

privilege of the Laurel,

and shone upon the head of the suc-

cessful warrior in his triumph.

Though

the

Triumphs of ancient
its

Rome

have passed away

It is said

Roman

ladies retain a taste for this pretty shrub.

that they prefer

fragrance to th^ most precio-us essences,

l)$:ths

and that they mix with their

its

water

distilled

witli

leaves,

under the idea that the tree of Venus bestows

145

THE NETTLE.
additional charms.
tree of
If the ancients

had that notion,

it

if

the

Venus was with them the

all

tree of love,

was because

they observed that the Myrtle, when taking possession of

a plot of ground, banished other plants.

Thus Love,
for

when

ruler of the heart, leaves

no room there

any other

feeling.

THE NETTLE
The

{Urtica

?/r^;?j-). CRUELTY.

puncture of the Nettle causes a burning pain.

If

we

examine the leaves of Urtica urens, we find a number of fine, stiff, jointed, and pointed hairs, which are so many conduits for an acrid and caustic humour, which is contained in a
bladder at the bottom of each.
are like the sting of the bee.

The

hair

and the bladder

Both

in that

and also
the pain.

in

the

plant

it

is

the acrid

humour which causes

NIGHT-SMELLING GERANIUM
Melancholy
This charming
choly,
flies

{Pelargonium triste).

Spirit.

plant, like those

who
its

suffer

from melan-

the

light

of

day

but
Its

delicious
is

perfume
dark and

delights
simple.

those
It
is

who

cultivate

it.

clothing

a striking contrast to the Scarlet Geranium,

the

emblem

of Folly.

146

THE OAK.

THE OAK
"A

{Qiiercns pedunadatd).

Hospitality.

broad Oak, stretching forth its leafy arms adjoining pasture, overhung Small space of that green churchyard with a light And pleasant awning. On the moss-grown wall My ancient friend and I together took

From an

Our

seats."

WORDSWORTH.
thought that the Oak,
first

The

earlier inhabitants of the earth

created with the earth, supphed to the

of our race both

food and shelter.

Sacred to Jupiter,

this tree
in

gave shade to

the cradle of that god,

when born

Arcadia, on

Mount
most
of

Lyceum.

The crown

of oak leaves, less valued

by the Greeks
the
citizen,
life

than a golden crown, seemed to the

desirable reward.

Romans
it

He who would

win

must be a

have
a

slain

an enemy, recovered a battle, or saved the

Scipio Africanus refused the civic crown

Roman.

when
of

tendered to him for having saved his father on the

Trebia,

field

because he deemed

the

action

its

own

sufficient
it

reward.

The

Celts worshipped the Oak, regarding

as the

emblem
that,

of Hospitality, a virtue which

title

they held so dear,

next to the

of

"

Hero," the " Friend of the Stranger"

was with them the most valued designation.

The Oak is specially deserving of being assigned by us as the emblem of Hospitality, because it furnished a refuge
to

our King, Charles the Second, on his escape from the

of battle in which his

field

army was

routed.

147

ORANGE FLOWERS.
o

ORANGE FLOWERS
The
of
fair

{Citrus Aiirantium).CYiM^'Y\.T\.

brow of
is

a virgin bride

is

wreathed with a garland

purity.

Orange blossom, meet emblem of her maiden

withheld from
all

This

decoration
distinction,

who

are undeserving of the

more

especially in the neighbourhood of Paris.

THE ORANGE TREE. Generosity.

This
out
all all
is

a very

handsome

shrub, of a shining green through-

seasons, never bare of

its

most odoriferous

flowers,

and

at

times bearing some of

It is
is

brilHant, fragrant,

and delicious

fruit.

the

emblem

of a generous friend whose coun-

tenance

ever radiant with good nature, whose lips cheer us

with kindly words, and whose hands arc ever open to bestow

upon us

his favours.

THE PANSY
"

{Viola tricalor):TYLmY.

OF Me.

There
"

is

Pansies, that's for thoughts," says Shakespeare

asks,

and Miss Twamley

Oh
The

are not Pansies

pure, the chequered

for every

emblems meet for thoiigiits.'* gay and deep by turns

A
and, as

hue

mood

the bright things w car

In their soft velvet coats

its

English

name seems

to be a con'uption of a French

word
called

in

the phrase, Pmscz-a-inoi

tJiiiik

of

inc,

it

is

also

Heart's-ease, a

sure result of a confident

148

assurance

PARSLEY.

that those

whom we
;

love

are not

unmindful of us when
is,

present or absent

not so unmindful, that

as to be careless
their regard

and thoughtless of those claims we have upon and

affection.

PARSLEY
their

{Apiiim Peiroslmum).EA^i:.

Banquet.
In

Parsley was

held in great esteem by the Greeks.

its

banquets they wreathed their brows with

it

slender

branches, because they thought

had the

effect of increasing
in their

cheerfulness and their appetite.

At Rome,

games,

the victors were crowned with Parsley.

It is

thought that

Sardinia
vince
is

is

the native region of this plant, because that pro-

represented on ancient medals, by a female figure,

is

near which

a vase containing a bunch of parsley

all

but the

plant seems indigenous to

the cool

and shady parts of

Greece, and even to the southern provinces of France.

The
if its

plant

is

a very pretty garnishing to our dishes, and

certainly enlivens the to2U eiise7nble of the festive board,

and

presence does not increase cheerfulness,

effect.

its

absence will

sometimes produce the opposite

PASQUE-FLOWER ANEMONE
This
soft
is

{A, Pulsatilla). Yo\5

ARE WITHOUT PRETENSION.

a plant which
It
is

covered with down, and

is

all

over

and

whitish.

blooms continually through the

It

Summer
It

with a quantity of pretty purple flowers.

shade,

prefers the

where

it

is

highly

ornamental to our borders.

itself.

demands no

care,

and abundantly sows

149

PASSION-FLO WER.

PASSION-FLOWER
"

{Passiflora <;?r?//^). Christian

Faith.
High
decked with gold, (emblem mysterious to behold!) its form expands opening arms appear to embrace the whole collective human race, Refuse of all men, in all lands." Anon.
o'er the pointal,

radiant cross

Its

A
five

VIVID imagination has traced

in this flower figures of

a crown of thorns, the scourge, the sponge, the nails, and the

wounds
it

of Christ

on account of these fancied resem-

blances

has been called Passiflora, or the Passion-flower.

PATIENCE DOCK
Medical
plant,
It
is

{Rumex Patientia).? KTlY^-^QY..

science used to avail itself of the roots of this

bitter.

which are extremely

The name

is

ambiguous.
'^

used ambiguously by Mademoiselle

Scudery,

La

patience nest pas la flcnr dcs FranqaisT

Passerat has also

written in his Jardin d'Amonr,

"

On pcut en ce jardin cucillir la Patience, De la prendre en amour jc n'ai pas la science."

THE P^ONY
This
o
^>.

(Pcuonia offici?ialis).Su\^\E.

flower has
in

been
his

made emblematical

of

Shame,

because Rapin,
Paeony, says, "

pcjcm, J)rs Jardi/is, speaking of the

n(jt

They

arc

the blushes of modest)'

I'm will

I,-

1r

Sinnn/mi)

^^'ln/''

/''''^''

f'o/iiiin,/i //n///i

PEPPERMINT.
redness which guilt

suftuse

it

with

its

rosy hues, but

plant
is

the

imparts,

for

this

the

hiding place of a culpable

nymph."

PEPPERMINT

{Mentha piperita). ~\^ KKMTYi OF

Sentiment.

Proserpina

is

said to have discovered a rival, in intrigue

with his sable majesty, her husband.

The goddess,

justly

indignant, changed that rival into this plant, which seems to

upon the palate the coldness of We cultivate this plant under fear with the warmth of love. the name of Peppermint, and we owe to it the lozenges which
combine
in its distinct effects

bear

its

name, and also a valuable essence of much use

in

medicine.

THE PERIWINKLE. Pleasing

Already
the

Remembrances.

have the winds purified the atmosphere, scat-

tered the seeds of vegetation over the earth and chased

away
is

gloomy clouds

the air

is

fresh

and pure, the sky seems

lifted

higher above our head, the greenness of the grass

all sides,

revived on

and the

trees are covered with leaf-buds.

first

Nature

is

about to deck herself with flowers, but

;

she

prepares the back-ground of her pictures

she covers them

with a general tint of verdure which

is

infinite in variety,

which

rejoices our eyes

and

fills

our hearts with hope.

For

some time we have found

in sheltered spots, the violet, the

THE PERIWINKLE.
daisy, the primrose,

and the dandelion.

Along the

skirts of

woods the anemone and the periwinkle display a long network of verdure and flowers. These two friendly plants exchange and mingle their mutual charms. The anemone,
with
its

soft foliage,
its

deeply

cut,

is

of a pretty green.

periwinkle has

leaves evergreen, firm, and shining.

is

The The

flower of the periwinkle

blue

that of the

white, with a rosy or faint purple edging.

lasts

anemone pure The anemone

but a day, but she reminds us of the vivid pleasures and

fleeting joys of our childhood.

The

periwinkle emblematizes

more lasting happiness its colour is that which friendship makes choice of, and its flower was to Rousseau, the emblem
a
;

of Pleasing
reside
at

Remembrances.
Charmettes,
with

"I was going," he

said,
;

''to

Madame

de Warens
"

while

walking, she saw something blue in the hedge, and said to

me,

Voila de la pcrvcnclie encore en fleur!

\_Pervenc/ie, a

name

of this

modern French form of the Norman-French flower, as spoken of by Chaucer,

" There sprang the violet
all

newe,

And
"
I

fresh pervinke, rich of hewe."]

had never seen the periwinkle," Rousseau adds

it,

" I
it

did
to

not stoop to examine

and

had too brief a view of

I

distinguish plants on the ground as

cast a glance

stood upright.

only

upon
In

it

as

passed, and nearly thirty }'ears

th.e

had elapsed without

thought of
it.

my

seeing

periwinkle again,

or

1764, being at

Grcssien, with

my

friend,

M. du Pcyron, we were going up a little hill, at the top of which was a pretty room, which he justly called Bcllevue. I
152

ik=..

PERUVIAN HELIOTROPE.
began to botanize a
looking round
*

little.

While
bushes,
I

going"

up higher, and
was."

among

the
!
'

uttered a cry of joy,

it

Oil ! voila dc la pervenchc

And
it

so Indeed

This plant, a charming image of

itself

earliest affections, attaches

firmly to the spot which

it

beautifies
;

it

embraces
all

all
its

around
our

with

its

flexible branches

it

covers

with

fiow^ers, Avhich
first

seem

to reflect the colour of the sky.

is

So with
they

fond impressions received from what

deservedly to

be loved

impressions so
have a heavenly

vivid, so pure, so innocent, that

seem

to

origin.

They stamp our

life

in

an

instant w^ith happiness,

and

w^e are

indebted to them for the

authors of " Bouquet des
this,

most delightful reminiscences.

Souvenirs
"

The

make
"

the flowers themselves affirm

Emblems are we of joy or woe, And tender recollections glow,

Inspired by our name."

PERUVIAN HELIOTROPE

Infatuation.

{Heliotrophim peruvianum).
I

Love You.
le

" Qui voit ta fleur en boira

poison

Elle a donne des sens a la sagesse, Et des desirs a la froide raison." Bernis.

The
heaven.

natives of the East say that perfumes

It
is

lift

certain that they stimulate us,

them up to and produce

most pleasurable sensations.

The impression they make

upon us
able

is

so strong, that,
life,

if

once associated with any remark-

event in

whether joyful or sorrowful, the same

153

PERUVIAN HELIOTROPE.
perfume
will,

after

long series of years, revive

all

the

sensations

we

at that

time experienced.

Several instances

of this have been recorded, and probably no reader of these

lines will

be found who has not

felt

the truth of

it.

The

illustrious botanist

Jussieu, while herbarizing in the

Cordilleras,

became suddenly

sensible

of a

most delicious
find

fragrance.
brilliant

He

began to expect that he should

some

flowers,

but he saw only some pretty herbaceous

plants, of a pleasant green,

from which hung loosely spikes of

near the shrubs, and observed

a pale blue colour.

He drew

that the flowers wuth which they were laden turned towards

the

sun,

which they seemed

plant
the

to

him

as

regarding

with

devotion.

Struck with this disposition of the flowers, he

gave

the

name

of

Heliotrope

(the

name he
and
riXio^,

formed of the
tJie

tv.o

Greek words, Tpoirew, I

turn,

sun)

the flower turning itself to the sun.

The

learned botanist, delighted with his newly found plant,

applied himself to collect

some of

its

seeds,

and sent them to

the Jardin du Roi, where they germinated, and the plants

thrived and put forth their bloom.
flower with rapture
;

The
it

ladies w^elcomed this

they placed

in their choicest vases,

they called
I '

it

the plant of love, and received with cold indif-

ference every proffered bouquet which did not contain this

favourite flower.
It

was under the high auspices of the

in

fairest

and

loveliest of Nature's works, that the

for the first

Peruvian Heliotrope,

grown
!

time at Paris,

740,

made

a successful

debut on that continent, and has since spread itself throughout

the whole of ICurope.

i^

I'L

very amiable lad}%

who was

passionately fond of the

PHEASANTS-EYE.
Heliotrope, being one

^^A

day asked what charm a flower so

in

melancholy and so devoid of splendour could possess

eyes,
replied,

her

''The perfume of the Heliotrope

is

is

to

my
and

parterre

what mind
is

to beauty,

what joy

is

to love,

what love
to the sun,

to youth."

An anonymous
"

writer has thus sung of

its

habit of turning

There
Is

is

a flower whose modest eye

turned with looks of light and love,

breathes her softest, sweetest sigh,
is

Who

Whene'er the sun

bright above."

PHEASANT'S-EYE

{Adojiis autiimnalis)

SORROWFUL
in

Remembrances.
This, one of the very few scarlet flowers indigenous
England, has found
its

way

into the border,

where
it

it

reminds

us continually of the fate of Adonis, saying, as

" Look, in the garden

were,

blooms the Flos Adonis,

flower."

And memory

him who rashly died, Thereafter changed by Venus, weeping, to this

keeps of

La Fontaine named one

of his

poems

after this unfortunate

youth, in which he wTites,

" Je n'ai jamais chante que I'ombrage des bois,
Flore, Echo, les z^phirs et leurs molles haleines,

Le

vert tapis des pres et I'argent des fontaines.

;

C'est parmi les forets qu'a vecu mon heros Cest dans les bois qu'Amour a trouble son repos.

155

THE PIMPERNEL.
Ma
J'ai

muse en

sa favour de myrte s'est par^e

voulu c^l^brer Tamant de Cythdree, Adonis, dont la vie eut des termes si courts,

Qui

fut

pleure des Ris, qui fut plaint des Amours."

All the readers of ancient mythology

know
boar.

that the beautiful

It
;

youth Adonis was

sake that Venus
bitter tears
in vain.
left

killed

by a wild
fate.

was

for his

the pleasures of Cythera

on account of his sad

earth received

and she shed Her tears were not

The

them with the blood of Adonis,

and forthwith brought forth a small plant that decked itself with flowers which resembled drops of blood. Venus found Adonis dead, and while she was wailing and weeping,
Shakspeare says,
"

By

this,

the boy that by her side lay killed

like a

Was
And

vapour from her sight, on the ground lay spilled, purple flower sprung up, chequered with white, Eesembling well his pale cheeks, and the blood
in his blood, that

melted

Which

in

round drops upon their whiteness stood."

Lustrous and transient flowers, too faithful emblems of

life,

you were dedicated by Beauty

brances
!

herself to Sorrowful

Remem-

HE riAH'ERNEL
Tin-:

[Anagallis arvcnsis).

ASSIGNATION.

name Anagallis is said by some to be derived from ava-jeiv, to draw back, because the most common kind was
i!W

found useful

in

drawing arrow-heads from wounds

156

by others

-H^r^

%^

THE PINE TREE.

to

from ava'^kXaeiv,
cleansed the

laugh again, because

its

medicinal virtues

liver,

and so removed causes of despondency and

low

spirits,

as to restore cheerfulness.

The
is

flower

is

asso-

ciated with cheerfulness, for

when
air is

weather

is

always bright, the

expanded the dry and reviving, and that

it

fully

at a season

when we have much

of moisture in our atmo-

sphere.

It is

one of those flowers which open and close at

In our latitude this expands punctually about

stated times.
y.^ A.M.,

and

closes at 2.3 P.M.

is

It is also

an hygrometer, for

when

the air
;

very damp,
it is

its

flowers

do not open, or speedily

close again

hence
to
its

called the Shepherd's Weather-glass,

and according
ments.

warning voice he

may make

his appoint-

The author

of Favourite Field Flowers, speaking as

a Shepherd might be supposed to do, says,

"

And

if I

would the weather know, ere on some pleasure

it

trip

go,

My
The

Scarlet Weather-Glass will show, whether

will

be

fair or no.

blue-eyed Pimpernel will

tell,

by closed
well,

lids of rain

and showers
it

fine bright

day

is

known

full

when open wide

spreads

its

flowers.

Some
Rut
I,

flowers put on

more gay attire, and this a Shepherd, most admire the blue-eyed

in usefulness excel.

Scarlet Pimpernel."

THE PINE TREE. Daring.

This
bathing
tree
its

seems to disdain our quiet groves, and to prefer head in the moisture of the clouds above, and to

feel its foliage continually buffeted

branches give utterance to

^^=^

by the winds, when its sounds like the murmurs of the

157

0=^^

THE PIXE APPLE.

ocean, or like that caused

by the surging

billows as they toss

about among the rocks,

'

The loud wind through the forest wakes With sounds hke ocean roaring, wild and deep, And in yon gloomy Pines strange music makes.
Like symphonies unearthly, heard in sleep
;

The sobbing waters wash their waves and weep. Where moans the blast its dreary path along. The bending Firs a mournful cadence keep." Drummond.

Thus daring
and taking
vegetation
creation
"

is

the Pine, attaining

some eighty

feet in height,

for its starting-point the loftiest elevations

where

may

be found.

Again, when the " lords of the

wish to plough the main, they cut

down Chaucer's
and Browne's

" sailing "Firre,"

and

Spenser's " sayling Pine,"

" Pine, with

whom men

through the ocean venture,"

to effect their design.

itself,

Hart, translating Statius, calls the Pine

"

The adventurous

Fir, that sails the vast

profound."

So daring is this tree that it braves both the winds of heaven, and the raging waters of the deep abyss of ocean.

THE PIXE
The

hVVl.Y. {Bromelia Ananas).

Yo^^

ARE

Perfect.
Pine Apple has not been
half.
It is

known

to us

much more
first fruit

than a century and a

orld.

decidedly the
leaves,
it

in

Surrounded by handsome
158

resembl

THE PINK.
apple (fir-cone) of the Pine
pale gold.
It is

tree,

sculptured
it

in a solid

mass of
unites

so beautiful that

might seem to be made

to delight the eye, so delicious that one

in itself the

may

fancy

it

sweetness and richness of

all

other

fruits,
it

and so
for its

fragrant, that

we might be induced

to cultivate

perfume only.

THE PINK (Dianthus pj'olifer). Lively

Affection.
"

and Pure

The Pink can no one justly He sets it now beneath the

slight, the
light,

gardener's favourite flower

shields
it

now

from

its

power."

Goethe.

The Wild
colour.

Pink

is

single, red,

and odoriferous.
its

Cultivation
in

has added to the number of

petals,

and variations
in

These beautiful flowers paint themselves

an infinity

of shades, from light rose to pure white, from deep red to the

hue of glowing
yet blending
the rose-colour

fire.

The same
Pure white
is

flower puts on contrasting,

tints.
is

pricked with crimson, and

brilliant

streaked with a vivid and

red.

Then they

are marbled, spotted,

is

and again sharply

cut, so
is

that the eye

led

to fancy that in the calyx there

an

alabaster and a purple flower.

varied in form as in colour.
as a tuft, a cockade, a boss,
It

Again, the Pink

is

nearly as

opens

its

pretty flower-work
it

and

at other times
its
its

assumes the

shape of the
it

rose.

It

always retains
itself

delicious odour,
artificial dress,

and

constantly strives to divest

of

and

to

resume

its

simple

attire.

For the hand of the gardene

159

THE PINK
which can double and
its

triple its petals, variegate

and diversify

colour, does not

know how
in

to render his changes constant.

Thus Nature has sown

feeling.

our heart the delightful germ of

in

Art and Society,

improve,

developing and cultivating this

elevate
it.

germ,

weaken,

.or

hundred causes
and
the
errors,

combining together can make these

changeable
;

effects inconstant

but, notwithstanding

the

caprices,

and

the

incomprehensible workings of

the

human
is

heart,

Nature ultimately brings back the feelings and opinions into

their proper channel.

Rochefoucauld has
:

said, " It

with

true love as with a spectral appearance

all

the world speaks

of

it,

but few or none have seen it!"

What

does this
to

fretful

moralist understand

by

true love

Does he wish
}

make

us

believe that true love

is

a chimera

No, true love

lives in

our hearts

but
" J'ai
vLi

I'amour pourtrail en divers licux

L'tin le peint vieil, cruel et furieux

L'autre plus doux, enfant, aveugle, nu

Chacun

pour tel qu'il Ta connu Par ses bienfaits ou par sa forfaiture.

le tient

Pour mieux au vrai defini sa nature, C'est que chacun varie en son cerveau Un dieu d'amour pour lui propre et nouvcau. Et qu'il y a dans les entendemens D'amours autant que de sortes d'amans." Hercet.

lOO

THE PLANE TREE.

THE PLANE TREE

There was
a

{Plataims oricntalis).

Genius.
at

long avenue of superb

resort.

Plane Trees

Athens, whither the Greeks used to

They
genii

also paid

a species of reverence or religious worship to these magnificent

trees,

which they dedicated

to

good

and the

pleasures of the mind.

THE PLUM TREE

Every
trees
is

{Pritmis domesticd).

Keep

YOUR

Promises.
year our Plum Trees cover themselves with an
flowers,

abundance of
not

but

if

the luxuriant

growth of the
skilful
fruit-

pruned by the able hand of a

us,

grower, they will not give

the fruit they promise,

more

than once

in

three years.

POET'S NARCISSUS

{Narcissus poetica).

Egotism.
;

The

Poet's Narcissus emits a pleasing perfume

it

carries

a golden crown in the middle of a large flower of ivory

whiteness, gently bending down.

This plant seems natural to

'

our climate
river's rim.

it

delights in shade and in the freshness of the

The

ancients

saw

in

this

flower the

metamorphosis of a

o
il

young shepherd, whom Love punished

l6l

for his indifference

by

M
6'

POE rS NA RCISS US.

a fatal mistake.
Narcissus,
love.

thousand nymphs fancied the handsome

to

and they learnt

know

the pains of unrequited

Echo was treated with coldness by the ungrateful She was then beautiful but grief and reproach youth.
;

effaced her beauty

her substance wasted until she resembled

a skeleton

the gods pitied her, and changed her bones into

stones, but they could not heal her mind,

which

still

bewailed

her

lot in

the remote places whither she followed so often the

cruel-hearted shepherd

who

could not return her love.

Wearied

b}'

the chace and the intense heat which scorched

the earth, the

handsome Narcissus lay down to rest on the thick grass, at the brink of a fountain whose waters had never been disturbed. The shepherd, attracted by its coolness,
his
thirst
;
;

wished to quench
of the treacherous
at

he bent over the pure crystal

wave

there he saw himself,

whom

he

once admired, and, struck with his

own image, and gazing

the power of motion,

intently

upon the
like

reflection,

he

lost

and was

statue

fixed

upon the bank.

Love,

who

avenges himself on the rebellious heart, adorned the reflected

image with
the

all

the attractions he can bestow; then he

mocked

mad

mistake, abandoning his victim to the delirium which

consumed him.
Still, full

Echo alone saw

his pain, his tears; she al(^ne

heard his sighs and the insensate vows addressed to himself

of tenderness, the
his
last

nymph answered

his complaints,
;

and repeated
at the

adieus, which were not for her

even
for,

while expiring, the

unhappy youth continued searching

illusion
it

bottom of the water, the

which had enchanted

again
in

him

and descending into the shades he sought

the dark waters of the Styx, from whose banks nothing could

M
'<'<M:\\

.^^!:>^.o

0^:^

POETS NARCISSUS.
him away. The naiads, his sisters, bewailed his death, and covered his body with their long hair they
draw
;

besought the dryads to raise a wood

rites.

pile

for his

funeral

Echo followed the nymphs and repeated their plaints with disconsolate voice. The funeral pile was raised, but the body, which it was to reduce to ashes, was gone there was found in place of it, a pale and melancholy flower, which
;

even

now droops
that

over fountains of water as Narcissus drooped

over the Stygian wave.

From

day the Eumenides have adorned

fatal.

their terrible
is

brows with flowers dedicated to Egotism, which

the saddest and most

of

all follies

The

fable of Narcissus has been

in the

supposed, by Keats, to

have originated
"

fancy of a poet.

He

asks,

What

first

inspired a bard of old to sing

Narcissus pining o'er the untainted spring.'*"

And

then he answers.
" In

little

some dehcious ramble he had found space, with boughs all woven round

And in the midst of all a clearer pool Than e'er reflected in its pleasant cool
The
blue sky, here and there, serenely peeping,
tendril wreaths fantastically creeping.

Through

And on

A meek

bank a lonely flower he spied, and forlorn flower, with nought of pride, Drooping its beauty o'er the watery clearness, To woo its own sad image into nearness Deaf to light Zephyrus it would not move, But still would seem to droop, to pine, to love.
the
:

163
-:z==0-

0=^^

THE FOLIANTHES.

1
So
while the poet stood in this sweet spot,

Some fainter gleamings o'er his Nor was it long ere he had told
Of

fancy shot
the tale

young Narcissus, and sad Echo's vale."

Shelley, admiring the flower, wrote,

"And

Narcissi, the fairest

among them

all

Who
Till

gaze on their eyes in the stream's recess,

they die of their

own dear

loveliness !"

THE FOLIANTHES
This known
all,

(P. ///^m?j^). Voluptuousness.

beautiful
as

and most

odoriferous
is

flower,

commonly
first

the Tuberose, and which

in 1632.

calculated to please

was brought from Persia

in

It

flowered for the

time

France, at M. de Peiresc's, at Beaugencier, near Toulon.

;

The
after

flower was then single

but

its

petals

became double

some From that

for

time, under the careful

place

it

hand of Lecour, of Leyden. In Russia it blooms spread every where.

\\\\o

only

royalty,

and those
;

come near

tlic

court.

It is

naturalized in Peru

there

it

grows without

culture,

and com-

bines with the brilliant capucin to decorate the fair American.

The Tuberose,
its
it

that superb native of the East, which the illus-

trious LinniEus has

flowers, a flower
is

named

Polianthes, from the

cities,

abundance of
us, as

worthy of

has become with

in

Persia, the

emblem

of Voluptuousness.

young
stem
>fA

Icoglan,

who

receives from the

hands of

his mistress a

of the Tuberose in bloom, experiences supreme happiness

164

THE POMEGRANATE.
for

he knows that he

may

thus interpret the happy symbol of

their

mutual affection
"

Our happiness

will

surpass our anxieties."

All the world knows and admires the white spikes

stars of the

and

Tuberose
tall

those beautiful spikes are the terminadiffuse

tion

of a

and slender stem, and they

a most
it,

penetrating and intoxicating perfume.

Shelley says of

" the sweet tuberose,

The

sweetest flower for scent, that blows ;"

and Moore
call it

tells

us

how

it

is

esteemed by the Malays, who

;

Sandal Malam, or the Mistress of the Night

"

The Tuberose, with her

That
in the

silvery light,

gardens of Malay

Is called the Mistress of the Night."

THE POMEGRANATE

{Punka granatum).

Foppishness.

Foppishness has been represented by the

ignorant person,
of

figure

of an

who would

force

one to admire the brilliancy

which, fine in their

a bouquet

of Pomegranate flowers,

appearance though inodorous, have sometimes been used as

the

emblem

of Folly.

165

~x?

THE POMPON ROSE.

<S

THE

rO.AlPON

ROSE

(/e.

M. A^w/^;//^).- Loveliness.
is

LOVKI.IXESS or Gracefulness, which

of earh'

the

great charm
of

childhood,

forms the

principal

attraction

the

Pompon

Rose.

THE POTATO
The
It
is

{Solannm

tubcrosiun).

Benevolence.
rich

Potato

is

alike esteemed

by the

and the poor.

escapes
the
will

luxury to the former, and constitutes a large part

latter.

of the food of the

It

is

a food which

greediness of the

monopolist,

who, because the tubers

not keep well, so as to h^ good for food, longer than from the
ripening of one crop to the planting of another, cannot w^ith-

hold

it

as

he

may do

corn.
its

Like true charity,

it

is

an

unassuming
paring
to cultivate
for

plant, hiding

treasures in the earth, and prelittle

itself for
it.

our use, with very

effort

on our part

America has supplied us with

banished

this root,

which
of

ever has

from Europe that most

important
it

frightful

plagues, famine.

How

is

to the inhabitants of
failure

the United

Kingdom, those know who remember the

Sir
its

of the crops in Ireland in 1846 or 1847.

is

Walter Raleigh

believed to have been the

means of

importation into

England.

THh: PRIMROSE.

{Pyimitla 77//^^m-). EARLY

1

YOUTIL
the
wild
c

Burns
o
\'ear,"

says,

''The Primrose
in

will pu', the firstling of

which,
(){

truth,

it

is,

when we speak
;

of the
to

flowers

our

native country
I

and

it

])i()claims

us thai

y\

r,r)

THE PRIMROSK.
period in which Winter, withdrawing herself, sees the
of her

hem
nor

snowy mantle adorned with an embroidery of verdure

flowers.
It
is

and of

no longer the season

for frosts,

yet are bright days come.

Yet how exhilarating are the

days when Primrose

every hedgerow
!

tufts

appear on every bank, and beneath

well do

How

we remember
vales,
!

the millions
in

which deck the

hill-sides,

and

and hazel copses

there,

the lovely country about

Godalming

mingled with

the dog-violet and a vast variety of

a most fitting

Vvild

flowers, they are

emblem of Early Youth, when the spirits are full of freshness, when hope abounds, when the future is all of a rosy tint, when the mind is free from anything like
real care or

sorrow

in

most of us

And

in that beautiful spot

these lovely flowers have an added charm in the presence

of the nightingale, whose rich and liquid notes
in
fill

the air

every direction at the joyous season of Spring

well

may

Bidlake say to the Primrose,

" Pale visitant of

That

bidd'st

balmy Spring, joy of the new-born year, young hope new plume his wing, soon as thy buds appear.
"

-if

-jf

-rf

Tf-

Remote trom towns thy transient life is spent in skies mor*^ pure The suburb smoke, the seat of strife, thou can'st but ill endure.
T^-

Thy

smiles young innocence invite, what time thy hds awake.

In shadowy lane to taste dehght, or

Ah

happy breasts unknown to pain, I would not spoil your joys, Nor vainly teach you to complain of life's delusive toys. Be jocund still, still sport and smile, nor dream of woe or future guile
I !

***** ******
mazy tangled
For soon
shall ye

brake.

awakened

find

The joys

of

life's

sad thorny way, but fading flowerets of a day

Cut down by every wind.''

167

'\^^

PRIVET.

f
PRIVET
The
The
{Ligiistrum
is

z7/4'-rt;r). PROHIBITION.

hawthorn hedge

a real protection,

when

well kept,
generally.

against horses, cattle, and sheep, and against

Privet
is

man

prohibitory,

and

is

a sufficient guard against

injury,

to that

which

it

surrounds, from the well-meaning,

rule of

and those who act on the golden

doing unto others

It

what

the}'

would that others should do to them.

forms

a pretty fence, being evergreen for nine

bearing a pretty white flower

berr}'
;

in

months of the year season, and a small black

is

but

it

requires care, for there

its

nothing which sooner

of air and

becomes denuded of
li^ht.

foliage

by the absence

THE PUMPKIN
The Pumpkin
weight.
It is
is

{CiLairbita

Pr/^). BULKINESS.

usually very large, and of considerable

sometimes said of a very stout person, that he

resembles a Pumpkin.
fail

The comparison

is

vulgar,

and cannot

to be taken as

an

affront.

THE PYRAMIDAL BELL FLOWER

pyramidalis).

{Campanula

CONSTANCY.
ornamental
plant

The

stems
feet

of
in

this

very

sometimes

exceed six

These stems are studded from bottom to top with large and beautiful flowers, which begin to bloom in July, and continue to display their beauty until
height.

October.

The

splendid colour of these pyramidal clusters

i68

is

-^

/^ED

AND WHITE

ROSES.

a lovely blue, the colour of the eye of a youn^- lady whose

characteristic
is

constancy.

RED AND WHITE ROSES. Warmth

The
poet
lionncfons sent to the

of Heart.

object of his affection

two Roses, one deep

red, the other white.

was the symbol of

his

his heart,

The Red Rose which was being consumed by

his
:

the intensity of his anxiety, the other told of the pallor of

countenance,

internal hre.

He

by the exhausting force of sent with the Roses the following lines
caused
;

" Pour

Daphne, ces fleurs viennent d'eclore Vois, Tune est blanche, et I'autre se colore D'un vif eclat Tune peint ma paleur, toutes deux mon malheur." L'autre mes feux
toi,
:

Carew,

who

lived

580-1639, has thus

interpreted

the

lanGfuaee of the
"

Red and White Rose

in these

together,

Read

Roses the sad story, Of my hard fate, and your own glory In the white you may discover
paleness of a fainting lover
still
;

The

In the red the flames

feeding
bleeding.
languish,

On my
And

heart with fresh

will tell

wounds
I

The white

you how

the red express

my

anguish,

The white my innocence displaying, The red my martyrdom betraying

:

The frowns that on your brow resided. Have those roses thus divided.

Oh And

your smiles but clear the weather, then they both shall grow together."
let

169

RED VALERIAN.
In our

own

national history,
is

tlic

union of the

Red Rose and

the White,

emblem of a return to that state of feehng which ought to exist among all mankind, and especially among those of the same race and nation. Long had the two Roses represented the rival houses of York and Lanthe
caster,

each anxious to do battle to the death, each burning

with hatred to the other, until a better mind came,

when the

two combined w'orked together for the good of the CommonWordsworth sings of this happy change, wealth.
-

"

Her

thirty years of winter past, the

The Red Rose is a gladsome flower. Red Rose is revived at last

;
;

She lifts her head for endless Spring, for everlasting blossoming Both Roses flourish, Red and White in love and sisterly delight, The two that were at strife are blended, and all old troubles now arc
ended.''

RED VALERIAN
'

{Valeriana

;/^^;//^//rt). READINESS.

This
lax.

species of Valerian has been brought from SwitzerIts attire

is

land within a hundred years.

!

bright, but

always
flowers,

This mountain child

retains,

amid our cultivated

her rustic bearing, which imparts the air of a parvenu.

wild beauty owes her good fortune to merit
I

This
is
;

the root

remedy
infusion
spirits,

for those

maladies which engender feebleness

strengthens the
sight,
revivifies

an
tlic

of the

plant

aud

ch-i\es

awa)' melanchol}'.

The
for

flowers continue

to blo(jm

f(jr

a long time.

Cultivation improves the flower,

its origin,
it

o
''^

but the ]ilant does not despise

abandons

oin-

borders to dwell on the side of a dry

hill,

or on the top

/hi/Iy/inc/,-

llr/iti/ir.'

/,'rs/

(>)] li/ir/un

.-^J

'\W)^

REEDS.

P
a ruined wall.

The indigenous Valerians

as

of our fields and

this
;

woods possess

many

virtues

and beauties as

but the

gardener neglects them, because they do not offer the same

readiness and facility to his nurturing hand.

REEDS. Music.
" the

mingling sounds that come,

reed."

Of shepherd's ancient

MoORE.

Pan, who was devotedly fond of the fair Syrinx, pursued her one day upon the banks of the river Ladon, in Arcadia. The nymph intreated the river to help her, when she was
received into the stream, and

became transformed
first

into Reeds.

Pan cut
tells

several of the Reeds, of different sizes,

and formed

of them, as

we

are told, the

is

shepherd's pipe.

Moore

us that this

still

pastoral instrument of music in

Syria.

REST
This

HARROW
weed may

{Onoms
still

j;/^/;?^i-rO.

Obstacle.
parts of the

pretty

be found

in

some

country, although the intelligent and industrious farmer has

used his best

which,

efforts to
it

banish

it.

It

has strong

woody

roots,

when

abounded, were a great obstacle to the steady

its

progress of the plough, as

thorny branches w^ere to the

it

motion of the harrows

^
rejected

As

food

may

be said to be generally
wdience
its

by

all

animals except the

ass,

generic

name.
171

THE ROCK ROSE.

^^^^J

THE ROCK ROSE. Safety.

The
Cistus, or

Rock Rose,

bears
it

some resemblance
is

to

Chick Pea.

Aristotle tells us that

a powerful protection
in

against ghosts and phantoms,

petals of the flowers

when held

the hand.
large, off

The
and
on the

of

C. vi/losus,

are purple,
fall

spread open like the Rose.

They commonly

same day on which they open, a

notes
:

feature which

Campbell

"

Thou wert working

After the
fall

late,

thou busy busy bee

of the Cistus flower."

There
also,

is,

however, a succession of new flowers daily for a con-

siderable time in

May

and June.
if

In September and October,

;

they

will

bloom

again,
in

flowers

may

be procured

autumn be mild and their winter by sheltering the plants

the

from

frost.

THE ROSE. Beauty.

1

Who,

that has ever been

endowed with the power

?

of song,

has not sung of the Rose

Poets have not been able to

exaggerate her beauty, nor to sing her praises to perfection.

They have spoken

1

of her, and with justice, as the daughter

earth,

of the sky,

the

ornament of the

and the glory of

Spring

but what words have ever expressed the charms of

?

Lthis

lovely flower, her exquisite beauty, her matchless grace

When

she spreads

open

her petals,
172

the

eye follows

her

/J

P r

iMgl

THE ROSE.
But how can we describe
sweet perfume which she

harmonious outlines with dehght.

so
delicately
?

the rounded sections which form her entirety, the lovely tints
laid

upon

her,

the

sends forth

Behold

her, in the Spring, raising herself softly

amid her elegant

which plays around
like

foliage,

surrounded by her

many buds

one might say that the Queen of flowers sports with the
her, that she

air

adorns herself with diamond-

drops of dew which bathe her, that she smiles at the

sun's rays

which persuade her to display her charms.

in

Nature
perfume,

seems to have exhausted her resources,

order to lavish
form,

upon her
earth

to

excess,

freshness,

beauty

of

splendour, and loveliness.

;

she

is

one of the

The Rose decorates most common of flowers.

Rose
is

the

whole

On

the day that the beauty of the

;

perfected,

it

begins to fade

but each succeeding Spring restores her to

Poets have sung of her charms in vain
;

us fresh and new.

they have not

;

made her praises grow old or become wearisome and her name of itself keeps their productions fresh the interpreter and attractive. The emblem of every age
;

of

all

our

sentiments

the

Rose
simple

is

mixed up with our

Innocent mirth

festivals,

with our joys

and our sorrows.

;

crowns herself with

blushing tints
;

Roses

modesty borrows her

and we bestow a wreath of Roses as the

reward of
nocence,

virtue.

The Rose

is

the image of youth, in-

She belongs to Venus, and even is the rival of her beauty the Rose possesses, Moore has sung like her, charms more lovely than beauty.
and
harmless
pleasure.
;

rapturously of the Rose,

173

o=^A*

0=r

THE ROSE.

1
" Rose
!

thou art the sweetest flower, that ever drank the amber shower
art the fondest child of "
!

Rose! thou
wild

dimpled Spring, the wood-nymph

and again,
"

While we invoke the wreathed

sing;

Spring., resplendent

Rose

to thee we'll

Resplendent Rose, the flower of flowers, whose breath perfumes Olympus' bowers
;

Whose

virgin blush, of chasten'd dye, enchants so

much

our mortal

eye/'

and
"

further,
distils

The Rose

a healing balm, the beating pulse of pain to calm

Preserves the cold inurned clay, and

mocks

the vestige of decay

And when
Sweet as

at length in pale decline, its florid beauties fade

and

pine,
!"

in youth, its

balmy breath

diffuses

odour e'en

in

death

W'c are told that

all

Roses were once white, and Herrick

accounts for some being changed into red, thus,

"'"Tis said, as

Cupid danced among the gods, he down the nectar flung

Which on

the white rose being shed,

made

it

for ever after red."

Moore, however, makes the origin of the red

he says,
in

Rose coeval

with the rising of Venus (Aphrodite) from the foam of the

sea
"
;

Then, then,
flower,

strange eventful hour, the earth produced

an infant
its

Which

sprung, with blushing tinctures drest, and wantoned o'er

this brilliant

]jarent brcnst.

The gods beheld

earth
i
I

birth,

and hailed the Rose, the boon

t)f

With nectar drops, a ruby

tide, the

sweetly orient buds they dyed,

I V^

And bad them on

the spangled thorn

expand

their

bosoms

to the

morn/'

174
j^>--^-^

THE ROSE ACACIA.

The same
ment
:

writer in his Irish Melodies, gives another state-

"They

tell

us that

Love

in his fairy

bower,
;

Had two blush He sprinkled the

Roses, of birth divine

one with a rainbow's shower,

But bathed the other with mantling wine.

Soon did the buds, that drank of the floods Distilled by the rainbow, decline and fade While those which the tide of ruby had dyed All blushed into beauty, like thee, sweet maid!"
;

THE ROSE ACACIA

A
The

{Robinia Jnspida).
in

ELEGANCE.

HANDSOME
toilet

shrub when grown

a sheltered situation.

has nothing of greater freshness, nor of greater

Its inclining

elegance, than the attire of this pretty shrub.

attitude, its

gay green,

its

beautiful rose-coloured branches,

all

which have the appearance of waving ribands,

appearance of a coquette arrayed
in

give

it

the

ball-room dress.

THE HUNDRED-LEAVED ROSE. The

When
Myrtle
;

Graces.
attendance

the three Graces are spoken of as being

in

on Venus and her Cupids, they are said to be crowned with

when they accompany the Muses, they

are repre-

sented as wearing wreaths of Roses.

<.-'^

A ROSE IN A TUFT OF GRASS.

WR

1
A ROSE
*'

IN A TUFT OF GRASS. There is every THING TO BE GAINED BY GOOD COMPANY.

day," said the poet Sadi,
tuft of
''

One

I
!

saw a rose-bush
'

sur-

rounded by a
vile plant
I

grass.
itself

What
in

cried,

does that
?

dare to place
to

the

was

about

tear
'

the

grass

company away, when

of Roses
it

meekly
it

addressed me, saying,

true
I
;

Spare

me

but,

from

my

perfume, any one

"

am not the Rose, may know at least

is

that

have lived with Roses.'

How

anxiously should we seek

the

company

of those

whose

intellectual

and moral character

in

surpasses

our own,

that

we may drink

some

of their

mind's wealth and moral worth, and so far be improved by

the association.

A ROSE-BUD. Young
A YOUNG
bud
is

Girl.

girl is to beautiful

womanhood, what the Roseits

to the

Rose

in

the perfection of

charms.

Burns

made

use of the

Rose-bud as the emblem of a favourite

poetical

young lady in a whose father was

he says,
'

address

to " dear

little

Jessie,"

a master in the

Edinburgh High

school,

"Beauteous rose-bud, younc^ and gay, blooming in tliy early Ma)-, Never may'st thou, lovely tlowcr, chilly shrink in sleety shower. May'st thou long, sweet crimson gem, richly deck thy native stem

;"

11

and again, to the same,

fm

^-=0

A ROSE LEAF.
"

Thus

thou, sweet Rose-bud,

young and gay.

Shall beauteous blaze upon the day.

And

bless the parent's evening ray.

That watched thy early morning."

A ROSE
At Amadan,
much, write

LEAF. I am never importunate.

there was
that,
*'

a school of philosophers, whose

the

statutes prescribed
little,

Academicians should think

little

and speak as

as possible."

Dr. Zeb,

famous throughout the East, learnt that there was a vacancy in the academy, and hastened to seek it, but, unfortunately,
arrived too late.

The members were extremely

knowing how
filled
it

sorry.

They

had

just accorded to influence that

which was due to merit.

express a refusal which

The

president, not

to

caused the assembly to blUsh with shame, had a cup brought

to him,

which he

so full of water that one drop

more

would have made

didate understood
for him.

run over the brim.

this

The
not

learned can-

by

that

they had

He was

withdrawing, sadly

now room disappointed, when he

courage revived.

saw a Rose Leaf

at his feet.

On
it

this his

He

took up the leaf and placed

so lightly

upon the surface of

the water in the cup, that not a single drop was displaced.

At

this display of his ingenuity, the

whole assembly clapped

their,

hands, and the doctor was

the

received,

by acclamation,

among

number

of the silent Academicians.

177

ROSEMARY.

ROSE:\rARY

{Rosmarinus

officinalis). Y o\JV^

Presence

Revives me.

Hungary
which
is

water

is

said to be distilled from

Rosemary,

refreshing in

its

fragrance.

It

was formerly thought

remove headache,

to give vigour to the nervous system, to

and

to strengthen the

memory, on which account Shakspeare

wrote,

"There's

Rosemary that's member

'^

for

remembrance;

'pray

you,

love,

re-

'

Rosemary was
lovers,

also

and

so

deemed the emblem of was worn at weddings.

its

Pldelity between
It

symbolized
in

repentance, and hence

adoption at funerals, as

Wales

and Cheshire.

At such

times a few stalks are bound together

and presented to each of the mourners, who, when the departed friend is consigned to the grave, cast in their bunches

upon the coffin, thereby expressing, as we presume, their Kirke White faithful and lasting remembrance of the dead.
addresses
it

as a funeral flower,

"

Come, funeral flower who lov'st to dwell With the pale corpse in lonely tomb,
!

-sf

-X-

-jf

*
spot,

My
A

grave shall be
I lie,

in

yon lone
wilt o'er

Where, as

by

all forgot,

dying fragrance thou

my

ashes shed."

I7i

ROSE-SCENTED GERANIUM.
6

ROSE-SCENTED GERANIUM
capitatiLin).

{Pelargoniitm

PREFERENCE.
others
bright
;

There
gonium.

are numberless species of the Geranium, or Pelar-

Some

are heavy,

others scentless.

The Rose-scented kind

its

is

some perfumed, distinguished by

its

the smoothness of

leaves,

its

agreeable fragrance, and

pretty purplish flowers.

RUSHES
"Yielding and
Very
so pliant that

{Juncus conglomeratus).
tractable as a Rush,"

DOCILITY.
is

an old proverb.

useful are different species of this genus,

and they are

please.

we may work them

into

any form we

SAFFRON

{Crocus sativus).

Do

NOT Deceive

Yourselves.

A
but
its

LIGHT
if

infusion of Saffron
in

tends to raise the spirits

indulged

to

excess
in

it

produces intoxication.
it

If

emanations be inhaled
;

moderation,

is

said

to be

restorative

if

too freely breathed, the effect

is

injurious.

SAGE
Various

{Salvia

officinalis).

ESTEEM.
At

species of this

genus are of much value.

one time our garden Sage was of high repute as a medicine,

A

THE SCARLET GERANIUM.

ii

as a sudorific, aromatic, astringent,

and
it

antiseptic.

For these
the

and other

supposed properties,

is

not

improperly

emblem

of that

Esteem which

it

has acquired.

THE SCARLET GERANIUM. Folly.

Madame DE Stael
was always angry when any one
tried

to introduce into her society a mindless

man.
lady,

One

day, how-

ever, a friend of hers risked the introduction of a

officer

of very pleasing

figure.

The

young Swiss misled by his

seemed dumb
and
it

appearance, became animated, and uttered a thousand pleasant remarks to the

new comer, who

at first

with surprise and admiration.

for
all

But, since he listened in silence

his conduct,

an hour, she began to doubt the cause of

at

once addressed him with such direct questions, that

was quite necessary that he should answer.

Alas

the unfor-

tunate fellow could reply with nothing but foolish nonsense.

M. de Stael then turned away, vexed at her loss of pains and mental effort, and, addressing herself to her friend, said,
**

Truly,

sir,

}ou are

like

my
this

gardener,

who thought

to give
;

me
but

a treat
I

by bringing me
I

tell

you that
see
it

morning a pot of Geraniums sent the flower away, desiring him never
''Ah!
" It
is
is,

to let

me

again."

why

so

.^

"

asked the young

to
:

man
as

in

astonishment.

sir,

since

you wish

know

it,

because the Geranium

a flower well clad

;

in scarlet

so long

we look
it

at

it,

it

pleases the eye

h\\\.

lightly,

emits a disagreeable odour."

when we press it While saying this,

well imagine,

the lady rose and went out, leaving, as

1

we may

80

THE SCARLET IPOMyEA.

the checks of the

young

officer as

red

as his regimentals,

which were the colour of the flower to which he had been

compared.

The

scarlet

Geranium
its

is

a most pleasing object in beds on

brilliant flowers to great

our lawns, displaying

masses of

advantage

in the later

Summer

months.

THE SCARLET IPOMCEA

Like

(/.

coccincd).\

Attach

MYSELF TO YOU.
other

weak twining

plants, the Scarlet

its

Ipomoea has

need of a support to hold up

without being burdensome to
with verdure and flowers.

slender branches, which,

its

supporters, surrounds

them

SCRATCH WEED, OR BED STRAW

Hardness.

{Galium verum).

Bed Straw was sometimes

cause of
its

used to strew upon beds beScratch

agreeable

fragrance.

Weed seems
utility,

to

be another species, once thought to be of great

but
its

now sought
tenacity
effort

to be banished
life,

from

fields,

an attempt which
difficult.

of

or

hardness,
it

renders most

The

to

eradicate

is

continuous, but

the plant as per-

sistently maintains

its

position.

it^i

SEA THRIFT.

SEA THRIFT
Composed

{Statice maritiuid).
"

Sympathy.

From

the border lines,

Thrift,

of daisy

and resplendent

Flowers straggling forth had on those paths encroached.

Which

they were used to deck."

Wordsworth.
is

The
ing.

generic

name

of this

plant

Greek, and
uniting,

denotes
retain-

that which has

the property of

fixing-,

and

The

flowers are small, very numerous, turning towards

the sky, forming pretty purple bkie spikes.

They

are very
care.

ornamental border

flowers,

but

require

considerable

Naturally the plants prefer marshy places, and especially

the shores of the sea, where they

seem

to bind the sands

together by their abundant roots.

THE SENSITIVE PLANT

The

{Mimosa Bashfulness.
seems

sensitiva).

sensitive plant

to shrink

from under the hand

when about
leaf stalk,
if

to touch

it.

At
in

the slightest shock the leaflets

succession.

bend one towards another

cloud passing between
position of the leaves

the plant be low,

it

Then the common bends down to the earth. A

suffices to

and the sun

change the
plant.
it,

and the whole appearance of the

The

ancients ob.served the

phenomenon.

Pliny speaks of

but neither Pliny, nor yet modern botanists have been able
satisfactorily to explain
it.

Dr. Dutrochet

made

a variety

1S2

THE SENSITIVE PLANT

of experiments, the results of which satisfied himself, but do

not appear to have convinced others.

Shelley has written

some

lively verses
:

about the plant, from which we extract

a few lines

Sensitive Plant in a garden grew,

And And And

jf

the young v/inds fed

it

it

with sih-er dew,

opened its fan-like leaves to the light, closed them beneath the kisses of Night. -' *
-jf -;f -)f

the Sensitive Plant, vdiich could give small fruit Of the love which it felt from the leaf to the root,
Eeceived more than all [flowers], it loved more than ever, Where none wanted but it, could belong to the giver

For the Sensitive Plant has no bright flower Radiance and odour are not its dower
;

It loves,

even
"r

like Love, its

it

deep heart
7,-

is full.
!

It

desires what
Jf

has not, the beautiful ^

-;f

Each and all like ministering angels were For the Sensitive Plant sweet joy to bear, Whilst the lagging hours of the day went by
Like windless clouds o'er a tender sky.

And when evening descended from heaven above, And the earth was all rest, and the air was all love, And delight, though less bright, was far more deep, And the day's veil fell from the world of sleep,
->:-

-if

*
earliest

The

Sensitive Plant

was the

Up-gathered into the bosom of rest A sweet child weary of its delight.

and yet the favourite. Cradled within the embrace of night."

feeblest,
1

The

8-.

^^^^==C-

mr^~
THE SERPENTINE CACTUS.

THE SERPENTINE CACTUS

Horror.
This
species of Cactus throws
its

{C.

Serpentimis).

thorny stems, which bear

Its

a strong resemblance to serpents, in every direction.

un-

expected appearance
that

\\ithin view,

produces a slight sense of

if

Horror which we should

feel,

a living reptile of a

deadly nature were suddenly before

us.

THE SERVICE TREE

Every
almond
Servn'ce

{Pyrus

^<?7;2^j-//f^).

Prudence.

tree

and every plant has

it

siognomy which seerns to give

own peculiar phycharacter. The thoughtless

its

tree hastens to display her flowers in the Spring, at

the risk of not bearing any fruit in the autumn, whilst the
Tree, which
it

comes

forth
its full

more

tardily, bears its fruit

;

only when
is

has acquired

strength

but then

its

crop

made

sure.

Hence
beautiful

it

is

the meet

emblem
retains
its

of Prudence.

This

tree, so

and so hardy,
;

shining red

berries the winter through

we

see

them
is

glittering in

the

midst of snows
winter,

it

is

a harvest A\hich

yielded only in
reserve for the

and which Providence has kept

in

smaller birds.

SHAKING SAINTFOIN
This
Ganges.
woiulcrful

{Ilcdysarimi Gyraiis).

AorrA'iioN.
plant
is

native

of

Bengal,
of a

near the
seedling
^

No

sooner do

the ternate leaves

'4

SMALL BINDWEED.
commence moving, now here, now there. In their native chme this motion does not cease They do not observe any time, so long as vitality exists. One leaflet will order, or direction in their mov^ements.
develop themselv^es, than they
revolve, while all the others

on the same footstalk are

about, then

at rest.

Now
The

a few leaflets

move
plant
is

the

others

on that
us this

petiole.

The whole

never agitated at the same time.

leaves are not quiescent even in winter.

With

agitation can only be detected about mid-day.

SMALL BINDWEED
This pretty
little

{Convokmhs arvcnsis)Yi\5^iVLYY\.,
is

Bindweed

one of the greatest favourites

Its feeble

amono- our indic^enous wild flowers.

raise themselves
it

stems cannot

above the surface of the

its its

earth, but trail

upon
the

some friendly plant lends lowly Bindweed twines around

until

firm support.

Then

friendly sustainer,

and

decorates

it

with

its

nicely-shaped green leaves and beautiful

It is

pale whitish-pink flowers.

fields,

very

common
soil.

in
It

our cornis

and

is

a certain indicator of a dry

of Humjlity.

a most

fitting

emblem

SMALL CAPE MARIGOLD

Presage.

{Calendula pliivialis).

Omen.
at

This

flower

expands invariably

seven o'clock in the

in

morning, and remains open until four o'clock

the afternoon,
if it

weather be dry.

If the flower does not open, or

SMALL DOUBLE DAISY.

o
closes before
will
its

appointed time,

we may be

sure that there

be rain during the day.

SMALL DOUBLE DAISY.

It would seem that the
field

reciprocate your

AFFECTION.
daisy was long ago
it

made
was a

double by cultivation, since

in

the days of chivalry

most expressive emblem.

When

the lady-love of a gallant

knight granted him permission to emblazon his shield with a

Double Daisy,
his affection.

it

was a public avowal that she reciprocated

SNAP DRAGON
This remarkable colours are now very
need careful control

{Antij-rhimnn viajus).
flower
varied,

PRESUMPTION.
attractions.
Its

has

singular

and adorn our

parterres.

They
persons

in cultivation, for otherwise, like

presume on the sufferance accorded them, they claim too large a space amid the company they are introduced to, and require either to be immediately banished,
are inclined to

who

or for the future quietly passed over.

i

TlII-^

SNOWDROP

{Galaiithus nivalis).

CONSOLATlo.v.

'

we entered fully upon the Winter season, than the pale Snowdrop lifts ui) her white bells to assure us o V !^ that Nature is not dead. The rude north wind may howl J^
sooner have

No

THE SNOWDROP.
and sigh
our trees

the

hoar

frost

may

wliiten the

naked branches of

the clouds

may have

covered the face of the earth

vith a snowy carpet

the

songs of birds

may have

ceased,

and the flowing streams

in icy fetters

may no

longer murmur, being bound

may have attained its maximum strength the sun, shrouded in fog, may but feebly light up our fields our hearts may sink saddened within us
atmosphere
at the death-like

the freezing

appearance of Nature

but yet the springing

;

up of the

Snowdrop produces an emotion of pleasure the consolatory feeling that snow shall disappear, ice dissolve,
little

birds renew their song, green leaves take the place of hoar
frost,

the sun shine forth again in splendour, and

to
life

all

Nature

awaken

and beauty.
thus addressed the

The venerated Keble

"Thou
"f

Snowdrop

first-born of the

years delight, pride of the dewy glade,

-jf-

In vernal green and virgin white, thy vestal robes arrayed.

-^f -if

-)f

Tf-

-TT-

Thy shy
To fancy bode a joyous
year, one of
life's

averted smiles

fairy isles.

They twinkle

to the wintry

And

tell us, all will

glisten soon as green

moon, and cheer the ungenial day. and bright as they.

?"'

Is there

a heart, that loves the Spring, their witness can refuse

The answer is. No and the poet goes on to moralize in a manner most devout and admirable, as those who love his
!

*'

Christian

Year

"

well know.
as the

Langhorne addresses our flower

" Earliest

bud

that decks the garden, fairest of the fragrant race,

;

First-born child of vernal Flora, seeking mild thy lowly place

187

SPIDER OPHRYS.
Though no warm or inurniuring zeph\r fan thy Pleased we hail thee, spotless blossom, Herald
White, as
falls

leaves with

bahny wing,

of the infant Spring.

the fleecy shower, thy soft form in sweetness grows

Not more fair the valley's treasure, not more sweet her lily blows. Drooping harbinger of Flora, simply are thy blossoms drest Artless as the gentle virtues mansioned in the blameless breast."
;

So pleasing

is

the appearance of the Snowdrop,

pierces through,

and expands her flower

to cahii

over, the

when she snow she

;

seems to cast a smile upon the severity of winter, and to say

to us, "
I

am come
!"

your

fears

am come

to console

you

in

the absence of bright days, and to reassure you of

their return

SPIDER OPHRYS
Idmon
liad
tliat in

{0. ^^m;///'m^). Skill.

of Colophon was in great repute as a dyer.

He

a daughter Arachne,

whose

skill

in

weaving was such

her pride she challenged Minerva to a contest in the

art of

weaving.

beauty that
t(jre it

Arachne wove a piece of cloth of so much the goddess could not find any fault in it, but
which the weaver was so grieved that she

into pieces, at

hung herself Arachne into

he flower

The rope was transformed into a cobweb, and a s])ider, from which we infer that man learnt
first

the weaving art from the spider, and

1

apph'ed

it

in

Lydia.

is

a remarkable production of Nature, being

slie

one

of those where

has j:)roduced
life.

in

the vegetable kingdom,

see, as
it

an imitation
plant the

(jf

anim.il

Here we
1

were, upon a

88

SFIDERIVORT.

"

skilful

Spider seated

silently,

As
Guillim,
Scott's "

lurking for^his prey in

webby bower
all

;"

whose writings few know but

have read of

in

Rob Roy,"

says

*'

the Spider

is

free of the

Weavers'

Company."

SPIDERWORT

{Tradcscantia virginicd).

TRANSIENT
The
flower

Happiness.

A
is

BLUE

border-flower, but of no great beauty.

said to continue in succession from April to October, fading

in vvhich
it

on the day

opens.

THE SPINDLE TREE

The wood
Sculptors
of this tree

{EiLonyiilits

curopcca).~Yo\]^

Charms are Traced upon my Heart.

was
at

one time used

for spindles.

make

use of
its

it,

as well as turners.

It is also called

prick-wood, from

being manufactured into skewers for a

useful but not noble application.

Hedges

are formed of

it

sometimes, which

in

autumn

are covered with rose-coloured

berries producing a very pleasing effect.

SPOTTED ARUM
This
Ik

{A. maculattun). Warmth.

as "

is

known comm.only
insipid,

Lords and Ladies," and

If

is

used both as food and medicine.

at first

you

taste the roots, they

is

seem

but afterwards the effect

189

as

though

SPURGE LA UJiEL.
your tongue were pricked with needles, so acrid and sharp
is

their juice.
in

It

is

alleged

spadix

certain

of
it

by some naturalists, the species becomes so hot

with impunity.

that the
that

the

hand cannot touch

of these reasons
it

For one or the other

has been

made

the

emblem

of \^armth.

SPURGE LAUREL

{Daphne Laureola).Coq}JKi:KY.

Desire to Please.
This
is

valuable in shrubberies, thriving under the

Its

drip
is

of trees, and never attaining an unshapely size.

bark

such as to give
to

it

the appearance of a dead tree, but Nature,

its

hide this

deformity, envelopes
at the

branches

in

purplish

flowers,

and puts forth

end a

tuft of leaves

resembling

a pine-apple in form.

The Spurge Laurel begins

January
;

to

flower

amid the snows of

an imprudent
in

it

seems the
tlie

fitting representative of

coquette who, in
attire.

dead of winter, decks herself

Spring

SQUIRTING CUCUMBER

{Momordica

E lateriiim).
upon the
of this

Criticism.

Adverse
j)lant

criticism

produces a painful
it,

effect

unfortunate object of

therefore the specific

as the proper

name

has suggested

it

symbol of the biting

ojjcration.
190

#mf

I'oininni linsr

.Shu- ni'

l',rl

h / r/n-/,i

l',;/nn>.si-

Wnn,/

Su,-i-rl

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

^"0J^h

\
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
tinn).

Purity.

{Ornithogahim ttmbdla-

The
it is

"

Bright-eyed Star of Bethlehem,"

is

indigenous, but

welcome plant in our gardens. From April to June it bears an umbel of star-like flowers, white as the purest milk. There is no dweller in our borders more agreeable in its whole appearance than it, and none more pure and pleasing.
a

STRAWBERRY
The

{Fragaria

vcsca).

Perfect

GOODNESS.
its

Strawberry Plant

is

lowly one, but

leaves are

exquisitely cut, and furnish, as regards form, ornaments on the

coronets of the Princess Royal of England and her

of

sisters,

Nephews of the royal blood, and of Dukes, Marquisses, and Earls. The flowers are pretty in shape, perfectly white, and
masses upon the plants, and are so attractive as to
;

cluster in

induce children to pluck them

hence Wordsworth makes an

:

elder child address a younger one thus

"

That

is

work of waste and

it

ruin

do as Charles and
and
I

are doingr

Strawberry blossoms, one and

all,

we must spare them

older,

Look

at

the flower
it
!

here are many;

any
you."'

is

small, small

low, though fair as

Do

not touch

summers two

am

Anne, than

Then
i'lk

the child bids

Anne

pluck other flowers, whose

to say

fruit

is

useless to us,

and proceeds

why

she would spare the

Strawberry flower,
191

SUCCORY.

"

God has

g-i\cn a kindlier ])0\ver to the

favoured Strawberry flower,

;

When

months of Spring are fled, hither let us bend our walk Lurking berries ripe and red, there will hang on every stalk, Each within its leafy bower and for that promise spare that flower
the
;

!"

And who would

bcrr}',

not join in the intreaty of the child to spare

a flower \\hich should produce so rich a fruit as the Straw-

whose

w^orth can only be expressed fully

!

by the words,
flowers, has

Perfect Excellence

The good Bishop Mant,

not forgotten
this,

in his

Wreath of April
as,

which he speaks of
flowers,

"With milk-white
Rich
Its

fruitage, to the taste

whence soon and smell

shall swell

Pleasant alike, the Strawberry weaves

coronets of three-fold leaves.

In mazes through the sloping wood."

SUCCORY
This
plant,

{CicJwrimn lutyhns).
like,

FRUGALITY.

and such

were highly esteemed by the

PLgyptians,

and we are told that they constitute half the food

It

of that people of the present day. of the

was part of the repast

poet

Horace

the

leaves

arc

much used by
in

the

I'^rcnch

as a winter salad,

and

its

roots enter largch^ into

coffee,

the

compounds which

are sold

as

P^ngland

to

such an extent, indeed, that

wa have been assured

\\'e
it

b}'

most respectable
imlcss

dealer, that

never obtain f;cnuiuc Coffee

wc

spcciall}- stiinilate for

it

when making
called,

a purchase.
is

Succory, or Chicory as
article,

is
is

commonly
fiiiL;al

a cheaj)

and hence

its

use

a
192

practice.

;==^

THE S UNFL O WER.

THE SUNFLOWER. False

This
It
is

riches.
it

flower

is

from Peru,

in

which country

was formerly

honoured as the image of the great orb of day.

related that a rich Lydian,
till

named

Pythias,

owning
might

gold mines, neglected to

his fields, that his slaves

work

in the mines.

His

wife,

who was

wise and good, caused

in gold, saying, " I
:

a dinner to be served with dishes of meats

give you the only thing in which you abound

you can reap

only what you sow; think whether gold

He

good !" then saw that the annual productions of the earth were
is

so great a

the true riches, distributed

labour.

among men

in

return for their

Longfellow has a poetical lesson of somewhat the same

import.

He
"

says,
in at the gate

As

we

rode, behold,
!

tower that was called the Tower of Gold

For there the Kalif had hidden his wealth, Heaped and hoarded and piled on high, Like sacks of wheat in a granary And thither the miser crept by stealth To feel of the gold that gave him health, And to gaze and to gloat with his hungry eye On the jewels that gleamed like a glow-worm's spark,

Or
I

the eyes of a panther in the dark.

said to the Kalif

Thou Thou

hast

Thou art no need of so much

; '

old,

gold.
it

should'st not have

Till the

breath of battle

heaped and hidden was hot and near,

here,

But have sown through the land these useless hoards.

To

spring into shining blades of swords,

193

^==0

SWEET BAY.
And keep
thine honour sweet

and

clear.

These grains of gold are not grains of wheat,

These bars of

silver

thou canst not cat."

and precious stones arc but mediums of exchange hoarded up they are hurtful to the owner spread, so as to help the struggling, to relieve the poor, to promote the glory
Gold,
silver,
;

of the Giver, they then

interest into the

become

true riches, to be returned with

bosom

of the acrent in their distribution.

SWEET BAY
It was formerly a
to

{Lanrus

;?^^z7/j-). TREACHERY.

common
the

practice in

making
in

custards,

throw into the pan a few leaves of Laurel,

order to

flavour them.

Where

party preparing them was well

acquainted with the properties of the leaves, care was taken to

limit the quantity so as to
if

produce an agreeable flavour; but

too

many were
in

used they always produced a deleterious

effect,

and not seldom death has ensued where the quantity

excess
;

has been

hence the tree has been made emble-

matic of Treachery.

SWEET-SCENTED COLTSFOOT

{Tiissilago fragraiis).

We
It

will do You Justice.

the
lot

has always

been

of

men whose minds have

be unappreof surpassing

soared above that of their contemporaries, to

ciated.

Authors,

poets,

painters,

inventors

merit,

have rarely had the just value put upon their proJ

y^

r
-^ r^=^

94

i7
\d^^

SWEET-SCENTED VIOLET.
ductions, and suggestions, and improvements in their life-time
or, if

otherwise, the recognition of their deserts has been too

late to

be of service to them.
lot

In these respects

many

plants

have shared the

them.

of

escaped the notice of

many men, and their those who were capable

its

value has long

of appreciating

Thus our
There

plant, notwithstanding

agreeable

fra-

grance, had for a long time

grown

at the foot of

Mount

Pila
" to

unknown.
waste
its

it

would have continued, doubtless,

air," if

sweets upon the desert

its

had not discovered

praises of this

good

qualities.
;

M. Villau, of Grenoble, That botanist sang the

it

humble flower
;

he gave

a distinguished
it

position in his writings

and, from that

time,

has been

valued as an early blooming and fragrant flower, so that that degree of justice has been accorded to
it

which

it

deserves.

SWEET-SCENTED VIOLET
Little need be
of this favourite flower, for there

{Viola odoratd).WoY)Y.^TN.

said to increase the universal admiration

is

more sought after than it, nor does any yield us greater pleasure when found in the early Spring. We admire the embossed leaves, the
not one

drooping purple
licious

flower,

and are

enchanted

with

its

de-

fragrance.

Then, as we roam through

rustic lanes,
it

or
is

by the

hedgerovv', or the border of a

wood, how pleasant

to find that
"

Where the banks The gentle Violet

it

are wet with drops of

steals out, in

morning dew, hood of blue " TAYLOR.

;

or to see

when
195

SWEET SULTAN.
"

Deep

in the

Its frail

shade of a flowery vale, form waves in the passing gale ;" Anon.

and then
"

its

rich purple,

which Byron speaks

of,

The sweetness of the Violet's deep blue eyes Kissed by the breath of heaven, seem coloured by the skies."
of this flower for the most retired spots, over-

The fondness

grown by grass, often in the very depth of the hawthorn hedge, where its presence can only be detected by the fragrance which Zephyr steals from her in passing, and diffuses
through space, has

made
;

the Sweet-scented Violet the proper

it.

emblem
"

of

Modesty

and so Miss Taylor sings of

Down

in

a green and shady bed, a modest Violet grew

Its stalk

was
it

bent,

it

hung

its

head, as

if

to hide

from view.
fair

And
It

yet

was a lowly

flower, its colour bright

and

might have graced a rosy bower, instead of hiding there.

it

Yet thus

was content

to bloom, in

modest

tints

arrayed

And

there diffused a sweet perfume, within the silent shade."

SWEET SULTAN
T\ the
native,
I'^'ist,

{Centaurea moschata).

HAPPINESS.
flower
is

of which this

handsome border
considered
the

the

Sweet

Sultan

is

emblem

of

Supreme Happiness.

196

THE SYCAMORE.

THE SYCAMORE
Reserve
is

{Acer Pseudo-Platanus).-\\.Y.<6Y.KNY..

symbolized by the Sycamore Tree, which

its

is

slow to put forth

flowers.

The

tree

is

one of great beauty.

We

have had

many

self-sown, which, being allowed to remain

where they were cradled, and with ample room to grow upward and laterally, have become natural specimens.
in the spot

They

are very upright, well ramified, and altogether deserving

of great admiration.

They bloomed, and bore

their seeds,

furnished with two broad wings, in their seventeenth year.

THE TEASEL
It
is

[Dipsacus fidloniLin).

Misanthropy.

not easy to perceive

It is a

why

this

should be the em.blem

of Misanthropy.

prickly plant, and requires two years

full

from the time of being sown to grow^ to

prickly

ripeness.

The

awns with which they are beset make the Teasel most useful, as being the best means known whereby clothiers are able to raise the nap upon our beautiful broadcloth.

TEN-WEEK STOCK
No
sooner have

{Mathiola annua).

PROMPTITUDE.
germinate, and

we

cast the seeds of these pretty border

to

flowers into the

earth than they begin

we quickly have them in masses, or borders covered with them. The bloom, however, is transient, so that vv'e must
197

THE
i

THISTLE.

sow

for a succession

from March to Auc^mst.

tints

The

pretty

lilac,

white,

and rose-coloured

of the flowers are fresh and

various.

This p;arden favourite diffuses an ae^reeable odour.

THE THISTLE
This
is,

{Carduiis mLtans).

'^^Y.'K^^YJ^'^.

as

is

well known, the

badge of the Scotch Order

of the Thistle and St.

interlaced
*'

vvitli

Andrew, together with a gold chain The motto of the Order is Thistle and rue.
our
fair friends,

Nemo me impune laccssit ;" which, for put into English, "No one anno3/s me
very suitable motto for Scotchmen
warlike
spirit in

we

with impunity;" a
the

days when the

of

their

race was
foes.

fully

developed,

by the

invading attacks of relentless

THORN APPLE
The Thorn Apple
beauty who, unseen
in

{Datura Stramo7iimn).

Deceitp^uL

Charms.
has been compared to the capricious
the open light of day, sparkles onl}'

in

the light which illuminates saloons and ball-rooms.

in

There
she

she displays her charms, and delighting

the

admiration, allures

young and ardent of the opposite

sex,

upon

whom
in

has no heart to bestow.

Some

of the species have an agree;

able odour, but they arc poisonous

though others,

the

hands of

skilful practitioners, are useful.

198

^c^N-^i^-^

THYME.

THYME

{Thymus

serpyllum).

Activity.

The Greeks regarded Thyme as the emblem of Activity. No doubt they observed that its perfume, which stimulates
the brain,
it

is

very wholesome to elderly people, whose energies

restore.

seems to
Action
Is

characteristic of the soldier,

;

and

Is

always

allied

with true courage

often

wherefore, in days gone by, ladies were

for their knights

wont

to

embroider the scarf

with the

figure of a bee

humming around

a sprig of

Thyme.

This
it,

twO-fold symbol implied, moreover, that he

who adopted

was gentle

In ail his acts.

TOOTHWORT
This

{LathrcEa sqiianiaria).

Co^XEALME^'
and shady

T.

plant grows only in the most hidden recesses of the

places.

grove, at the foot of large trees, in moist

Its flowers are nearly

always concealed under moss or dry

leaves.

THE TREMBLING POPLAR. Moaning.

This beautiful tree which. In the calmest weather, produces by its rustling leaves a sound resembling that of a murmuring brook, seems to moan under the influence of the
lightest wind.
It

would appear to harmonize with the touch-

ing notes of the nightingale,

when she
:

bewails the loss of

her young, as noticed by Virgil

199

TREMBLING GRASS.
''

So mourning 'neath the trembling

poplar's shade

The nightingale bemoans her absent young, Which some hard-hearted rustic, noting well, Drew from their nest, unplumed now she, distressed, Weeps through the night, and, perching on a branch,
:

Repeats her mournful song

Fills

and with sad up the grove extended far and wide."

;

plaints

Favourite Field Flowers.

TREMBLING GRASS
French
because of

{Bri::a 7;/^^/^). Frivolity.

shepherds
its

call

this

plant,

Amoiu'ette,

perhaps
look

pleasant and varied appearance.

They

upon
for

it

as the

emblem

of a slight and transient attachment

if

lover

is

suspected of insincerity

he presents his
It

iuanwrato with a bouquet bound together with this grass.

is,

however, one of the prettiest of our grasses, and a bunch of

in a

them

vase

is

a most pleasing ornament.

TREMELLA.
This
It
is

Resistance.

Opposition.

a gelatinous plant, which has engaged the attention

all

of the learned, but has hitherto withstood

their researches.
it

was celebrated among alchemists, who made use of

as an

in

preparing the philosopher's stone and the universal panacea

regarding
it

emanation from the

stars.

Some have
it

supposed these gelatinous substances to be the ejected pellets

of herons after feeding on frogs; others have regarded

as

an animal.

It

seems to have transformed

if

itself into

man\'

analogous plants, as

determined to elude the inquiries of

TULIP.

the curious.
truth

It is

found
positive

in

garden paths and meadows.

In
It is

we have no

knowledge of the Tremella.

is

a secret of Nature which

"

as Httle to be understood as the

everybody says so

"

of the unlettered mind.

TULIP

{Tulipa

^j'/z'r^/rzV).

DECLARATION OF
Tulip

LOVE.
represents

On
love.

the banks
;

of the
it

Bosphorus, the
is

Inconstancy

but

also

the

emblem

of the most violent

Those which grow naturally

in the fields

of Byzantium,

with petals of fiery red and centres black as though burnt,

say to a captive beauty, that one loves her, and,

if

she will

show
his

herself to

him

for a

moment, her appearance

and

will

countenance as of

fire,

his heart like coal.

make Thus a

young man fresh ox green from the hands of nature, yields an homage without disguise but when fashioned by the world,
;

as the tulip

is

manipulated by the hands of the gardener,

he becomes more amiable, more lovely, but he has ceased

to love.

The Tulip
the turban.

is

so called from

its

shape resembling that of

if
it

Its

emblematic power,

does not sufficiently

express a declaration of love,

may

well speak of that

mania
in

which exceeded the madness of the most ardent lover

times past
things.
;

for

under
have

its

influence
in

men

did the most insane of

it.

Poets

written

raptures

Hear

Thomson,
'

Then comes the Tulip race, where beauty Her idle freaks. From family diffused

plays

To

family, as

flies

the father dust,

20

P'LWUS'S L O OKIXG- GLA SS.

:^

The \aned

colours run

and while they break

exuUing florist "marks With secret pride, the wonders of his hand."
the

On

charmed

eye, th'

and then KIcist

'*

asks,
thus,

Who
In
all

O
I

Tulip

thy gay painted breast,

thy gaudy pride,

the colours of the sun hath drest

call thee, in
;"

W^ell could

The queen
but alas
!

of liowers

it

has not her fragrance

it

rather

we may say

of

it,

" Yet no delicious scent

yields, to

cheer the garden or the

fields,

Wainly

in

gaudy colours

drest,

'tis

rather gazed on than caressed."

YEXUS'S LOOKING-GLASS {Campamda

Flattery.
This
in
is

Speculum).

a pretty annual

border-flower of great beauty,

its

which, from

May

to

August, opens

shining purple flowers

our fields so soon as the sun sheds his golden light upon
If clouds should intercept his rays, then the sensitive

them.
petals

close

themselves as at the approach

of night.

A
fall

fanciful fable tells us that Veniis let

one of her mirrors

this
bijou,

upon the
Ui)on
it,

earth.

shepherd found

and looking

as

it

had the power of

tlic reality,

reflecting

an image more
for

beautiful tlian

he forgot his mistress, and cared

in

nothing but to admire himself

the conse([uenccs
(;f

the glass.

Cupid, fearing

so great an error, broke the glass and

into
this
j^retty

transformed the
lias

i)ieces

Campanula, whicl

ever since borne

tlie

name
202

of Venus's Lookinii-class.

/=ii=0

VERVAIN.

VE R V A IN

{I ^crbcna officinalis)

ENc HAN TMEN

T.

Vervain was made

kinds of divination.
assigned to
it,

use of

by

the

ancients in different

thousand various properties were

enemies.
to other

Whenever

the

among others the power of reconciHng Romans had occasion to send heralds

nations, with a

message of peace or war, one of them wore a

wreath of vervain.
alludes,
"

To

this

custom our native poet Dryden

wreath of Vervain heralds wear, amongst our garlands named, Being sent that dreadful news to bear, offensive war proclaimed."

The Druids
Earth

held

this
it

plant

in

high esteem, and

did not

venture to gather
;

until

they had offered

sacrifice to the

and now,

in

the north of France, the shepherds are

said to collect this sacred plant with ceremonies

and words
in

known only

to themselves.
is

Thus

in

our time, as

the days

of the ancients, Vervain

looked upon as the emblem of

Enchantment.

THE VINE
AnaCHARSIS used
fruit,

{Vitis vinifci'd).

INTOXICATION.
Vine bore three kinds of
;

to say that the

intoxication, voluptuousness, and repentance

in his speech,

and that

he who was temperate

moderate

in his diet,

and innocent

in his

amusements, was a perfect man.

its

The

Vine, notwithstanding that

20 J

produce has been.

//

'HITE

]\

^A

TER LILY.

is

still,

j^roatl}'

abused,

is

one of the most valuable

gifts of
is

nature.

Its fruit,

when

ripe

and

fresh from the tree,

it

most

delicious

and refreshing; when dried

is

adds to our enjoyment

of the food givx-n to us, and

diet
;

a most wholesome part of our

it is

and

in

the form of wine expressed from the grape,

not onl}- innocuous but invigorating

limits.

when used

\\

ithin

proper
call

The
;

effects in

no case should exceed what we

mirthfulness

as Scott says,
" Let dimpled mirth his temples twine,

With

tendrils of the laughing

'*

Vine

;"

and

if it

do more than

gladden the heart of man, and make

it

him of a cheerful countenance,"

in\-ariably follow

produces results which

good, and to

upon the abuse of those good things wdiich

;

have been given to us

for

every created thing

is

be rightly received wath thankful heart.

WHITE WATER LILY

The

{XyiupJum ^/<^.0- Eloquence.

Egyptians consecrated the Nymphaea Lotus to the Sun, the god of Eloquence. These flowers close at sunset

and sink into the water they rise with the god of day as he comes above the horizon. The flower forms part of the head;

dress of Osiris.
flower at
tile

Indian gods are depicted sitting on a Lotusit

b.'jttom of the waters; s)'mbolizing, as

its

would

seem, the rising up of the luirth, and

the Water.

separation from

Our
Lotus.

Wiiite

Water Lily

is

a lovely sister of the L:g>i)Li.in

invitation,

Well ma}' Miss Twamle}' give the

204

THE WALL-FLOWER.
"

Oh

come

to the river's rim,

is

come

to us there,
fair ;"

For the White Water Lily

wondrous

and much more

'*

she sweetly sings of

its

praises

in

her

Romance

of Flowers."

THE WALL-FLOWER

(ChciraiitJius fniticulosiis).

Faithful in Adversity.
" Recesses where the Wall-flower grew."

ScOTT.
where ruin

We

find this fragrant flower

prevail.

blooming

in places

and desolation
in decay, there

In the cracks of ancient walls, in

nooks and corners of shattered towers, on cottages and tombs

we may find

the wall-flower, in short, wherever

adversity and misfortune have befallen masonry of old, valued

for

what

it

has been, there this flower flourishes, faithful to

the friends
gay.

who

cherished

it

when they were prosperous and

of
it.

Thus Delta (Moir) has sung

The Wall-flower

"

the Wall-flower, how beautiful it blooms gleams above the ruined tower, like sunlight over tombs It sheds a halo of repose around the wrecks of time To beauty give the flaunting rose, the Wall-flower is sublime.
!

It

Flower of the solitary place grey ruin's golden crown Thou lendest melancholy grace to haunts of old renown Thou mantlest o'er the battlement, by strife or storm decayed And fiUest up each envious rent Tinge's canker-tooth hath made."
! !

205

THE WEEPIXG

IVILLOV/.

THE WEEPING WILLOW

This noble
the
tree never

{Salix babylonica).

Melancholy.
meets our eye, but wc
call to

mind

the melancholy, but beautiful words of the sacred poet, "

waters

of Babylon
thee,

w^e
!

sat

down and
our harps,
therein."

wept,

By when we

remembered
up,

Sion

As

for

upon the willows that are

Sion,

we hanged them Thus mournfully

led

bewailing their beloved

captive, beneath the

whence they had been

pendulous branches of

this graceful tree,

they have caused

of Melancholy.
"

it

ever since to be regarded as the

it

emblem
:

Bidlake looks upon

as ever sorrowful

The Willow

tribes that ever weep,

o'er Iht

Hang drooping

glassy-bosomed wave."

The

association of melancholy feelings

with the Willow of

tribe.

Babylon, seems to be communicated to others of the

We

well

which a

remember the saddening, but pleasing influence long row of silver-leaved Willows, growing on the
us.
in

grassy bank of the silvery Dearne, in Yorkshire, had upon

Often did we,

.shade, in

our boyish days, stand or recline under their

the glowing heat of

refreshed.

summer, and, looking on the

in

water,

feel

There, too,

sweet interchange of
rest,

thought with one wlio has long since entered into his

we

conversed, ever and anon quoting passages from favourite

poets,

whose words seemed

in

to ring out with a [)eculiar cliarm

and freshness

that pleasant spot.

interesting specimens of this tree
is

Among

the

many

one

WHEA T.
in

the churchyard of

West
St.

Plarptre, Somersetshire, said to

have been brought from

Helena, where Napoleon, from

life,

1815 to 1822, had leisure to review his nineteen years of

spent amid scenes of carnage and bloodshed, and to

mourn

over the schemes of ambition, which he had planned and

striven
to

carry out, frustrated and annihilated.

is

This now

magnificent tree

stated

to

hav^e

been planted by the

Rev. G. T. Hudson, vicar, 1837-42.

WHEAT. Riches.
"

Now Vi-.-iving

wide o'er the plain, Delights the weary farmer," BURNS.

grain,

WHEN
left,

he, seated

upon a

rustic stile, looks

down, right and

upon the valleys beneath, standing so thick with corn, that they seem to laugh and sing; and thither we would
gladly

wend our way to share Miss Twamley's summons,

his pleasure, as

if

in

answer to

" Come, let us rest on yon rude

stile

where stand

The village children, and look o'er the sea Of golden-coloured grain, that waves beneath The gentle breath of the soft Summer's day."

i\Teet

emblem

of Riches

is

the golden v/heat, for

is

it

not to

most important element of that annual shower of wealth which falls, as it were, direct from heaven, to feed and sustain in life, not only the human race,
the children of
the

men

but every living thing that hath breath

207

And

the abundance,

0=^^<^>^A^

WHITE HEATHER.
and excellence of
quality, of the

Wheat

of this preseht year,

1868, are such as has scarcely ever been

known, and

may

not

be again seen for many,

many

years to come.

WHITE HEATHER. Good

Extract from
Victoria (the Princess Royal)

Luck.

our beloved Queen's Book:

"Our

dear

was engaged

to Prince Frederick
his wishes

William of Prussia.
but

He had

spoken to us of

we were uncertain whether he himself should speak to During our ride up her or wait till he came back again. Craig-na-Ban, he picked a piece of White Heather, the emblem of Good Luck," which he gave to her this enabled him to make an allusion to his hopes and wishes, as they Glcii Girnock, which led to their rode down happy
''
;

[betrothal]." Sept. 29, 1855.

WHITP> JASMINE

{Jasininiim

officinale).

Amiability.

" Luxuriant above

all

The Jasmine, throwing wide her elegant sweets, The deep dark green of whose unvarnished leaf Makes more conspicuous, and illumines more The bright ]irofiisi()n of her scattered stars." COWPF.R.

TlIl'lKi:

arc those indix'icluals

who

arc

endowed with
in

sucli

happy temperament,

that they

seem thrown

into the world

to hold society together.

They have
208

their

manners so

much complaisance and

grace, that they well sustain every

Mo^^Bose^Swe^

Scejited.

VioUt

^WhiU Jasminj^.

WHITE

LILAC.

position into which they are cast.

selves to the taste,
others.

They accommodate themall

and properly estimate the mind, of

so
obliging,

They
in

are

that
;

they always interest

they are oblivious of

themselves

themselves to

what you say to them serve you, and they are

a heavenly
gift,

silent to listen to you.

They

flatter

no one, assume nothing, never give offence.

is

Their character
charms.

like

that

of personal

They

please, in short, because

Nature has made

them amiable.

Of this

characteristic Amiability the

Jasmine has long been

considered a most appropriate emblem.

WHITE LILAC Youth.

On
account of the purity and brief duration of
its

beautiful

thyrses, the

White Lilac

is

the

emblem
all

of Youth, that fleet the treasures of the

and charming period of

life

which

world are unable to restore.

WHITE MULBERRY
The White
trees,
is

{Morns alba).\S[i?>DO

Mulberry has ever been called the wisest of

it is

because

very slow
as

in

developing

its

leaves.

There
as

a saying,

" Foolish

the

Almond

Tree,

wise

the

Almond is always the first to bloom. A sprig of the Almond Tree together with a sprig of the White Mulberry, say, Wisdom should be joined with Activit}^
Mulberry," because the
209

WHITE POPLAR.

WHITE POPLAR
This

{Populusalba).TY^iY..

tree throws to eighty feet high, with a magnificent

silver bark.

head upon a straight stem, covered with a

ancients dedicated
beautiful
tree are
It

The
this

to

Time, because the leaves of

In

continual agitation, and, being brown

on one side and white on the other, represent the alternation of day and night.

WHITE POPPY. Sleep

Because
the
tasteless
oil

of the Heart,
from

expressed

Poppy seeds

calms the nerves and Induces sleep.

WHITE ROSE. Silence.

"

O goddess, thou art wondrous queer When none invoke thee, then most near
!

;"'

WROTE

an old friend

in a
is

sonnet addressed to this mythorepresented as a youthful figure,

logical being.

The

deity

half naked, holding a finger

Rose

In

the other hand.

upon the mouth, and a White White Rose used to be sculpthe

tured over the

door of banqueting rooms, to remind

guests that they must never repeat abroad wliat was said in
tlicir

festive

moments.

2IO

WHITE

VIOLET.

WHITE VIOLET. Candour.

Candour
The White
takes precedence, in order of time, of Modesty.
is

Violet

as

if

the purple one were invested with

the robe of innocence.

THE WHORTLE OR BILBERRY {yaccinium myrtillus).

Treachery.
"

Nor lacked, for more delight on that warm day, Our table, small parade of garden fruits.

And

Whortle-berries from the mountain side."

Wordsworth.

^NOMAiJS,
tillus,

father of the lovely

Hippodamia, had MyrBeing-

son of Mercury, for a shield-bearer.

proud of

this,

he required that
anxious

all

who
lists

aspired to the hand of his

daughter, should enter the

Pelops,
to
if

with him in the chariot race.

secure

Hippodamia, promised a high

Myrtillus

reward to Myrtillus
master's
chariot
chariot

he would take away the bolt from his

took
the bribe
; :

wheels.

the

was overthrown, and CEnomaiis

killed

but with his

expiring breath he prayed that the traitor should be thrown

body being brought to the shore for that purpose, Mercury changed it into the shrub which
into the sea.
his

On
;

bears his

name

that shrub resembles a

It

little

Myrtle.

It is

the Whortleberry.

bears an abundance of purple berries,

which are

juicy,

but somewhat insipid.

211

THE

]V1LD PLUM.

THE WILD PLUM. Independence.

The Wild Plum
our indigenous
itself to

Tree

is

said to be the least tractable of

trees.

It will

not bear the knife, nor allow

be transplanted.

WILD RUE. Manners

Shakspeare and
grace."

or Morals.
this,
''

other old authors call

that

Herb

of

We

are

told

Mercury gave

to

Ulysses an

infusion of the root of

the draught given to

Wild Rue to carry him by Circe.

off the effects of

HELENIUM
The
the
flowers

{H. aiitiLmnale).i:Y.\.^'^.

of this
little

North American plant bear some

resemblance to

bright yellow suns.

They

flourish

in

Autumn

with the Asters.

They

are fancifully said to

have sprung from the tears of Helen.

that
frail

Other writers assert

to a plant

Helenium was the name given

beauty used
in

which that

preparing her cosmetics.

WITHY, OR OSIER
1

{Salix viiiunalis).

Frankness.
French

ifi'.RE is
is

a proverb referring to a sincere man, which says,

Osier.
It
is

He

frank as an

in

this sense that a

poet has used the emblem,

" Lc
ficr ct

brave Montansicr,

Dont

lc ctciir est

brave
212

commc

Osier."

IVOOD ANEMONE.

WOOD ANEMONE
"

{A. 7/rw^;w^). Forlornness.

The Wind-flower,

pale and fragile." M. A. BroWxVE.

Anemone

was a nymph beloved of Zephyr.

This aroused

the jealousy of Flora,

who banished

her from her court, and

changed her into a

return of Spring.

flower,

which always blooms before the

this

Zephyr has abandoned

early,

unfortunate
love,

beauty to the caresses of Boreas, who,

disturbs her,

failing to

win her

makes her bloom too

vv-ith

and causes her to

ttsus, i.e.,
''

fade quickly.

An Anemone,
reign
is

the motto, Brevis est

Her

short," accurately declares the fleeting nature of her

beauty.

WOOD SORREL
The
its

{Oxalis acetosella).]OY.
as

Hallelujah

Oxalis,

the

French
it

call

this

plant,

flourishes at Easter.
leaves, folds

Every evening
its

up

corollas,

and bends down and allows its flowers to hang

closes
;

drooping.

They seem

to

fall

with the sun

filled

but, at

dawn

of

day, one might fancy that they are

with joy, for they

unfold their leaves, and spread forth their flowers.

On

these

by country people, that they praise God. The Wood Sorrel is by some thought to be the true Shamrock. It is the emblem of the Irish nation, and the badge of the Order of St. Patrick. By its means that early
accounts
it is

said

preacher of Christianity taught the people the great doctrine

of the Trinity.
213

WORMWOOD.
As
a national emblem,

Moore has

written of

it,

"Where'er they pass, a triple grass Shoots up, with dew-drops streaming, As softly green, as emerald seen

Through purest

crystal gleaming.

the Shamrock, the green, immortal

Shamrock

Chosen Leaf of Bard and Chief,

Old Erin's native Shamrock
!

WORMWOOD
La Fontaine
evils.

{Artemisia Absinthium).
is

Absence.
the greatest of

has said that Absence

Absinthe, or

Wormwood,

is

the most bitter of plants.

Its

name comes from

the Greeks, and means witJioiit sweetness.

Spenser makes a maiden thus bemoan the absence of her

lover
"

So I alone, now left disconsolate, Mourn to myself the absence of my love, And wandering here and there all desolate,
Seek with

my

plaints to

match the mournful dove."

A WREATH OF ROSES.The Reward

Wj: are
born
at

of Virtue.

told that S.

Medard, Bishop of Noyon, who was

the most

Salency, of an illustrious family, offered

touching prize that kindness ever gave to virtue.

simple wreath oi Roses
;

This was a

but to obtain

this,

the candidates

must be humble-minded, very modest, and very prudent.

The

Bishop's sister received the prize from his -TO

214

own hands

A WREA TH OF WHITE DAISIES.

A WREATH OF WHITE DAISIES.

Think of
In the days of
parlance,
chivalry,
it.

will

when a lady, to speak "didn't know her own mind ;" that is

In

common
was

to say,

not determined either to accept or refuse the suit of her lover, she used to wear on her brow a Wreath of White
Daisies,

by which she wished

to say to

him;

will think

of

it.

YARROW
This
plant
it

{Achillea Millefolium).Wkr.

is

said to heal all

wounds caused by

iron.

We

have

stated that Achilles

made
;

use of

it

to cure the

wounds he had inflicted on Telephus but other accounts say that he was cured by the rust of the spear which caused
the wound.

YELLOW NARCISSUS. Disdain.

Disdainful persons
have
little
is

are for the most part exacting, and

amiability

thus of
beautiful,

all

this

genus the Yellow

Narcissus

the

least

most devoid of fragrance,

rest.

and yet

it

demands more

care than the

21

THE YEW-TREE.

YELLOW ROSE. Unfaithfulness.

Yellow
is

the colour which

we

usually assign to faults of

The Yellow Rose seems the flower which properly represents those who are guilty of it. Water
unfaithfulness.

wearies

it,

the sun burns

it.

Constraint can alone bring this

It

Rose, which has no fragrance, into good condition.

not improve with
care,

does

nor yet
it

when
them

it

enjoys

freedom.
its

When
then

one would wish to see

at its best,

we must bend

buds down to the

it

earth, secure

in that position,

and

will

flourish.

THE YEW-TREE
"The Yew,
Marks out the

{Taxus

baccata).

SADNESS.
Churchill.

which, in the place of sculptured stone,

resting-place of

men unknown."

Yew-tree has always been considered the suitable ornament of churchyards, and so has become associated with
sad recollections.
appearance,
It
left
is

The

not a favourite tree with

us.

Its

gloomy and heavy. We had occasion to plant trees in a churchyard, and we preferred the cheerful Lime-tree, which has grown and prospered,
to
at will,
is

when

grow

and added much to the

cemetery.
with thanks.
of death,
feel, in

light

and airy aspect of the village

We were offered some Yew-trees, which

Where our there ought we

we

declined

brothers and sisters sleep the sleep

to feel all the comfort that
life

we can
and

the hope that they enjoy a better

216

than

this,

YOKE ELM.
look
forward, without
shall

dread or despondency, to the time

other poets in regarding

when we
Sir

be permitted to rejoin them.

all

Walter Scott agrees with

the

Yew

Tree as having a sad and gloomy appearance, and as

in

producing a corresponding feeling

he describes them thus
"

the mind.

In

Rokeby

But here,

'twixt

rock and river grew

dismal grove of sable Yew,

With whose sad tints were mingled seen The blighted fir's sepulchral green. Seemed that the trees their shadows cast, The earth that nourished them to blast For never knew that swarthy grove The verdant hue that fairies love, Nor wilding green, nor woodland flower,
Arose within its baleful bower. The dank and sable earth receives Its only carpet from the leaves, That, from the withering branches
Bestrewed the ground with every

cast,

blast."

YOKE ELM, Ornament.

Tins
beautiful tree
It

was formerly the principal ornament of

to

large gardens.

was used

form long verdant screens,

Father Rapin,
this tree.

for
in

porticoes, obelisks, pyramids, colonnades.

his

poem, Des

Jardiiis,

wrote a fine eulogy on

well the

We
to

may

see at Versailles
it

how

famed Le Notre knew

introduce

into his beautiful designs.

217

)X^

^r^
m^

m^

^^

INDEX OF SENTIMENTS.

Absence
Activity

IVornnoood

214
198 138 184

Thyme
Alichaelnias Daisy

Afterthought Agitation Amiability

Shaking Saiiitfoin While Jastnine

Ardour
Artifice

Gennan

Iris

208 96
53 3 156
121

Arts,

The

Assignation

Clematis Acanlhiis Pimpci-nel

Jtuiiper

B aseness
-s-

Asykim; Banquet

Parsley

Dodder
Sensitive Phuil Rose^ The

Bashfuhiess

Beauty Beauty ever-new Beloved Daughter

149 79 182 172

75 52 27 135 166 144 78 9
,81

Damask Rose
Cinquefoil

Be my support
Beneficence
asi.

Black Biyony

Marsh Mallow
Potato

Benevolence Bereavement
Birth
Bitterness

Myrobalan
Dittany Aloe

Blackness Bluntness -'Boldness

Ebony
Borage Larch
Honeysicckle
. .

34
122

Bonds of Love
Bulkiness

.112
168 41
131

Pumpkin
Buckbean

Calmness

Calumny Candour
Capricious Beauty

Madder
White
Violet

211

Alitsk Rose

Chagrin
Chastity
- Chastity

Marigold
Chaste Tree Orange Flowers Buttercups Passion FUnaer Chaste Tree Lettuce TootJnvort Hepatica Lime Tree

144 134

49
148

Cheerfulness Christian Faith Coldness

43 150

49
125

Coldness

Concealment
Confidence Conjugal Love
.

199 109 129

219

IXDEX OF SENTIMENTS.
PAGE

Consolation (of sleep) Consolation

Corn Poppy
S/iowdrop

58 186
.
.

Constancy Coquetry Courage

Criticism

Pyramidal

Bell-floivcr

.168
190

Spurge Laiirel Black Poplar Squirting Cncninber

Nettle

30
190 146
21

-Cruelty

Cure -Daring
-Deceitful

Balm of Gilead
Charms
Pine Tree lliorn Apple
Tii/ip
. .

Declaration of Love Delicacy Desire Desire to please Despair

Difficulty

157 198 201

..,,...

Blue Bottle Jonquil Spurge Laurel Marigold and Cyprcsi Black Thorn
Clove Tree .Maidenhair Ycllo-cV Narcissus

32 120 190
135 31

Dignity Discretion Disdain Dissension

Distrust Docility

55 132 215

Broken Straw Pavender

Rtishes

37 125

Do me justice Do not deceive

Duplicity

yourselves

....

Chestnut Tree Saffron

Duration Early Joys Early Youth

Manchineel Cornelian Cherry

Coxuslip

179 50 179 132

60
61

Egotism Elegance
Elevation

Pri?nrose Poet's Narcissus

166
161

Rose Acacia
/.}>

175

Tree

Eloquence f:nchantment

IVhite

Water Lily
. .

Vervain

.'

Envy
Error

Bramble
Bee Ophrys
^age
IVallploa'er

88 204 203 36
19

Esteem
Faithful in Adversity 'Faithfulness False Riches

179 205

Germander Speedwell
Sunjloiver

Falsehood
Fault
I*

97 193

Bugloss

42
109 149 95
i ->c

Henbane
]\u-slcy
J''raxinella

east

Eire
First
! 1"

Emotion of Love lame

lattery

Lilac

Herman

Lris I'cnus' L^ooking-glass

Scarlet

96 202
55 180
16?;

'',olly

Columbine

Eolly toppishness

Geranium

romci^rauate
////,,

Forethought

220

INDEX OF SENTIMENTS.
- Forget- me-not
Forgetful ness

^^^M
^^>^/l^'/

Forget-me-not

9i
141

Forlornness

Moonwort Wood Anemone

Withy, or Osier

Frankness
Fraternal Affection

Mock Orange
Ivy Trembling Grass Bladder Nut Succory {Chicory) Hollyhock A Bouquet of Flowers Hyacinth

213 212 140

118

^ Friendship
Frivolity

Frivolous Frugality Gallantry

Amusement
.

200 3^
192
1 1

Fruitfulness

35
;

Game
-^ Generosity
Genius Glory Good Education

.116

Good Luck Good News

Goodness
Gracefulness Graces, The

Orange Tree Plane Tree Laurel Cherry White Heather Guelder Rose
Goosefoot

H^
^

161

123

Birch Tree Hundred-leaved Rose

47 208 lOO 99 26
175 16
5

Grandeur
Gratitude Grief

Ash Tree Agrimony

Aloe
'
.

9
143 196 i8i 23

Happiness Happiness Hardness Hatred Hatred Haughtiness -"Healing Hermitage

Mugzcwt
Sweet Sultan
Scratchxvecd

Basil

Fumitory Amaryllis Balm of Gilcad

Millrccort

93
13 21

Hidden

Slerit

Coriander

Hope
Horror ^Hospitality Humility
I
I I I

Hawthorn
Serpentine Cactus

Oak
. .

139 57 102 184 I47

1*^5

am am

never Importunate sensible of your Kindness attach myself to you

Small Bindxveed A Rose Leaf Flax

Scarlet Ipoma:a Grass-leaved Goosefoot

I77

89
181

declare War against you neglected I love you I reciprocate your Affection
I die- if

....
.

Laurestinus
.

Peruvian Heliotrope Small Double Daisy

Mistletoe

100 124 1 53
185 I39

I rise
I will I will

above

all

not survive you think of it

Black Mulberry Wreath of White Daisies

28
.
.
.

.215
lo 21

Immortality
^-^- Impatience

Amaranth
Balsam
Burdock
221

Importunity

43

INDEX OF SENTIMENTS.

Inconstancy

Evening
I

Frii/irose

PAGE 85

Independence
Indiflerence Indiscretion Infatuation
Inf^ratitude

ViId

Plum

Candy Tuft
Feathery Reed Peruvian Heliotrope
Celery-leaved Crozufoot
.
. . , .

212 46 86

.153
64
114 68
1

Injustice

Hop
Daisy Herb Afrhajigel
Vine

Innocence
Inspiration Intoxication

10

Joy

Wood Sorrel
Pliini Tree

203 213
161

Kindness
Life

Keep your Promises

Lasting Beauty
Lively and pure Affection

Blue Bell Garden Wallflower

....

Lticern

Love Love
Loveliness

Pink Moss Rose

Myrtle

33 93 130 159 142

145

Pompon Rose
Horse Chestnut
Lily

166
115 127

Luxury
^Lljesty

^Lanners Maternal Love

Wild Rue Moss

212
141

Moaning
^-Modesty Morals ^ Music

Melancholy Melancholy Melancholy spirit Message Misanthropy

Dead Leaves
Willow Night-smelling Geranium
IVeepijig
.
. .

77

206

.146
117 197 199 195

Iris Teasel

Trembling Poplar
Szveet scented Violet

Wild Rue
Reeds

212
1

71

My My My

best

Days

are past
.

Gratitude exceeds your Care Regrets follow you to the Grave Obstacle
.

Omen
Opposition Oracle

Meadozv Saffron Dahlia Asphodel Rest Harro'w Small Cape Marigold

Tremella

136

66
17 171 185

200
7:;

Dandelion
Yoke

Ornament
Pain Patience

Elm

-ii7

Afarigdd Bat ieiice Dock

Hazel Stnrwberry

Peace
Perfect Goodness I'lcasantry Pleasing Remembrances Pleasures of I lope Platonic Love

1^4 150 106

191

....

Hahn
Beriwinlde Crocus Acacia

20
151

62

Play Poetry

Hyacinth
J'.glautine

V-O

INDEX OF SENTIMENTS.
Politeness

Power
Preference Preference Presage

Bouquet of Flaivers Ci'oiau Imperial Apple Blossom

Rose-scented

PAGE 35

63
15

Presumption
Pretension Pride
Profit

Geranhtm Small Cape Marigold Snapdragon

Glasszuort

179 185 186

97
13
, .

Ama-ryllis

Prohibition

Promptitude
Prosperity

Prudence
Purity Rarity

Cabbage Privet Ten-week Stock Beech Service Tree Star of Bethlehem

.

>

45 168 197 24 184

191

Readiness

Reason
Reconciliation

Mandrake Ted Valerian Goat''s Rue

Hazel
Biickbean

133 170

98
106 41 197

Repose
Reserve
Resistance Return of Happiness Reverie Reward of Virtue

Sycamore
Tremella
Lily of the Valley
Flo^cvering

200
128

Fern

Wreath of Roses

Riches

Wheat
Borage A Broken Stra-o
Gi-eek Valeria )i

Rudeness Rupture Rupture Sadness Sadness

Safety Separation

90 214 207 34 37
100
77

Dead Leaves Yew Tree

Rock Rose Indian Jasmine
Pceony Berberiy

216
. . .

.172
119 150
25 122 136

Shame
Sharpness Sharpness Sickness
Silence Simplicity Sincerity
Skill

Lantana
Meadoiv Anemone White Rose

210
79 87 188 210
107 83 155 198

Dog Rose
Fern
spider Ophrys

Sleep of the Heart

SoUtude
Sorcery Sorrowful Remembrances Sternness Stoicism Strength

....

White Poppy Heath Enchanter s Nightshade Pheasant's Eye

Thistle

Box
Fennel fimiper

35 86

Succour
Suspicion Swiftness

Mushroom
Larkspur

223

INDEX OF SENTIMENTS.
Sympathy
Tartness Tears

Sea Thrift Berberry

182

Helcnium
to be gained

25 212
.
.
.

There is everything good company Think of me

"Thoughtlessness

by

Rose

i)i

a Tuft of Grass

.176
148 6

Pansy Al/noud Tree

White Toplar

Time
Timidity TranquiUity Transient Happiness. Treachery Treachery

210
136 132 189
1

AIam el of Pern Mugwort

. . .

Spidei'wort
Szveet

Bay

94

IVhortle, or Bilberry

Truth Unfading
Unfaitlifulness.
"

B iiter-si.veet Nightshade
Ajnaranth Yellow Rose
Grass

211 27 10

Usefulness Uselessness Variety

Meadoju Szveet China Aster

Vice Voluptuousness Voluptuousness

Darnel
A/oss Rose

216 99 137 50 77
142 164 215 189 169
151

Tuberose

War
\Varmth

Yarrow
Spotted
of Heart of Sentiment

A mm
Roses

Warmth Warmth

Red and White

Peppermint

Weakness

We die together We will do you justice

Wisdom
Witchcraft

Moschatel Gathered Flowers

Siveet-scented Coltsfoot

144 95 194

White Mulberry
Enchanter'' s Nightshade

209
83 116
14

Vou are Cold Vou are my Angel You are Perfect You are without Pretension Young Girl
Your Charms are resplendent Your Charms are traced upon
.

Hydrangea American Coiuslip

Pine Apple
Tasfjue-flower

Anemone

Rose-bud
Asiatic

158 149 176

17

Ranunculus

my
Spindle Tree

Heart

189

Your

Friendship is agreeable to me

pleasing

and
Glycine

98
117 178 138 209

Your Looks freeze me Your Presence revives me Your Qualities surpass your Charms Youth

....
.

Ice

Plant

Rosemary
Mignonette Wit ite Lilac

London: R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor, Printers.