POETRY. SWEET BRIAR, OR EGLANTINE. "Real indigenous poetry is a sweet flower." Campbell. 66 Come, gentle air! and while the thickets bloom, Convey the jasmin's breath divine; Convey the woodbine's rich perfume, Nor spare the sweet-leaved eglantine." Shenstone. The fragrance of the eglantine is as delightful to the olfactory nerves, as the charms of poetry are to the ear; they both reach the soul of sensibility, and each has its thorn. "How far have we Prophan'd thy heav'nly gift of poesy? Dryden. POPULAR FAVOUR. CISTUS, OR ROCK ROSE.-Cistus. "Admire we then, Or popularity, or stars, or strings, In floral language, this transient flower is made the emblem of popular favour, since the duration of the one cannot be relied on more than the continuation of the other. Dryden says, "A popular man is, in truth, no better than a prostitute to common fame and to the people." R POVERTY. EVERGREEN CLEMATIS.-Clematis cirrhosa. "O'errun By vines, and boundless clematis." This plant represents in floral language the scale which weighs the sincerity of friendship. When poverty holds the beam, the multitude generally fly like chaff before the fan of a winnower; yet we hope there are none so afflicted but they may use the words of Shakspeare, PRECAUTION. GOLDEN ROD.-Solidago. "In golden armour, glorious to behold." This flower is presented as the emblem of precaution, nature having so carefully enveloped these little florets in a silky down, as to shield their nectar from the ravages of the bee. PRECOCITY. MAY ROSE.-Rosa cinnamoma. "Ton frais bouton, d'une aimable couleur, Precocity is represented by this early and aromatic rose, which generally displays its beauty and dispenses its odours when Philomel begins to warble. T. Moore says in Lalla Rookh, "Oh! sooner shall the rose of May PREFERENCE. SCARLET GERANIUM. 66 Geranium boasts Her crimson honours.” Cowper. This emblem originated from the preference shown by florists to the cultivation of the "Genteel geranium With a leaf for all that come." |