to cease to love is reasing teast, it is to have bought

267

DICTIONARY

OF

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS.

WITH THE

ORIGIN OF THEIR SIGNIFICATIONS.

ABSENCE, Wormwood. Absence, according to La Fontaine, is the worst of evils: Wormwood is the bitterest of plants. Its name, derived from the Greek, signifies, without sweetness. ACCOMMODATING DISPOSITION, Valerian. Page 136 ACTIVITY, Thyme. Page 103.

AFFECTION, GENEROUS AND DEVOTED, Honeysuckle. Page 111.

AFTER-THOUGHT, China Aster. Page 193. The Aster begins to blow when other flowers are

scarce. It is like an after-thought of Flora's, who smiles at leaving us.

AGITATION, Shaking Sainfoin. It has been remarked that the terminating leaflet of this plant is motionless, while the two others, which are much smaller, shake incessantly during the day. This motion is one of the most singular phenomena of botany. It was first observed in Bengal by Lady Monson.

AMBITION, Hollyhock. Page 206.
AMIABLENESS, Jasmine. Page 138.

ARDOUR, Broom. It is said that the spadix of the plants of this family, of which there are more than fifty species, acquires so strong a heat as to be painful to the hand when touched. This surprising fact is attested by several naturalists, and among others by Bory de Saint Vincent, and Hubert.

ARTIFICE, Clematis. Beggars, in order to excite pity, make false ulcers on their flesh by means of the Clematis. This infamous artifice often produces in the end a real sore.

ARTS, THE, Acanthus. Page 106.

ATTACHMENT, DEVOTED, Peruvian Heliotrope. Page 198.

BEAUTY, CAPRICIOUS, Musk Rose. The small flowers of the Musk Rose would be insignificant if they did not grow in clusters of from twenty to one hundred and more. Their delicate musky scent is very agreeable. This plant, however, is extremely capricious: all at once it will languish in situations which at first appeared the most favourable for it: and one year it will be loaded with flowers, while the next perhaps it will have none at all.

EVER NEW. The Monthly Rose, which flowers all the year.

FLEETING, Withered Rose. When we contemplate a withered Rose, and reflect that only a few hours since it was revelling in all the pride of beauty, we cannot but regard it as an appropriate emblem of the fleeting nature of personal charms; for, brilliant as they may be, how quickly do they fade! Still, the withered rose, which, though in decay, retains its fragrance, may teach us that, even when beauty has fled, we may yet, like it, have it in our power to please.

LASTING, Stock. Page 155.