hI 'H i TOBlJ ■M few ilitimm Library of the University of Toronto * THE SENTIMENT OF FLO WEES. ,V .1 «• * £ * y • ~ c v>°\ -• i L V \ *'o> %*> _ V- xV . vxA^ V / * . .. o *Y +\\ « •ViV % * #. r* '**? . # * 4 • Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from University of Toronto https://archive.org/details/sentimentoffloweOOtyas THE SENTIMENT OF FLOWERS OB LANGUAGE OF FLOKA BY THE BEY. BOBEBT TYAS ATJTHOB OF “THE WILD FLOWEBS OF ENGLAND," ETC. In Eastern lands they talk in flowers. And they tell in a garland their loves and cares; Each blossom that blooms in their garden bowers, On its leaves a mystic language bears. WITH EIGHT COLOURED GROUPS Hand-Painted by JAMES ANDREWS, F.R.H.S. TENTH THOUSAND LONDON HOULSTON AND WEIGHT, 65, PATEBNOSTEB BOW MDCCCLXIX. WORKS BY THE REV. R. TYAS. Wild Flowers of Fngland Popularly De¬ scribed. One handsome Volume, with Twenty- four beautifully Coloured Groups, by James Andrews, F.R.H.S. Cloth elegant, gilt sides and edges, 15s. i Choice Garden Flowers. Their Cultivation and General Treatment. With Twelve Coloured Plates, by Andrews. Extra cloth, gilt edges, 3s. 6d. Flowers from the Holy Land, or the Plants of Scripture. Twelve Coloured Plates, by Andrews. Cloth, gilt edges, 5s. Floivers of Foreign Lands, their History and Botany. Twrelve Coloured Plates, by Andrews. Cloth, gilt edges, 6s. Flowers and Heraldry, or Floral Emblems and Heraldic Figures. Twenty-four Em¬ blazoned Plates, by Andrews. Cloth, gilt edges, 5s. I Sentiment of Flowers, or the Language of Flora. Eight Coloured Plates, by Andrews. Cloth, gilt edges, 3s. 6d. Handbook of the Language of Flowers. With Coloured Group, by Andrews. Cloth, gilt edges. One Shilling. Handbook of the Language of Flowers, abridged. A Lilliputian Edition may still be had, sdk, gilt edges, price Is. Sewed, Sixpence. Beautiful Birdsj their History, Structure, Sfc. Thirty-six Coloured Plates, by Andrews. Two Vols. Cloth, gilt edges, 10s. 6d.; or Three Vols., each separate, 3s. 6d. LONDON ; HOULSTON AND WBIGHT, 65, PATEENOSTEH BOW. PEEEACE. In presenting this edition of the Sentiment oe Flowers to the notice of the Public, it is only necessary to acknowledge the con¬ tinuance of that favour with which the work was received on its first appearance, and to point out some alterations and additions which have been made, with the view of rendering it still more worthy of support. One peculiarity by which this book is especially distinguished from all others which profess to treat of the Language of Flowers, is the fitness of the poetical illus¬ trations which are freely introduced through- vi PREFACE. out. It were easy to collect an abundance of poetry relating to the various flowers herein described, out of the wide range of native poets, but the careful choice of such parts only as should still more intimately associate the flower with the sentiment of which it has been made emblematical, was a task of no small labour, requiring much time and extensive reading. The execution of this part has, however, obtained the approval of the literary portion of the public press, and no doubt mainly contributed to win the favour of those who have read the book. In this edition a list is given of those poets whose writings have been searched for such illustrations. By enlarging the size of the page, consi¬ derable space has been gained, which is occupied with some additional articles ; and several others have been increased in length by such information as was thought would impart greater interest; a series of articles on emblematic colours is also appended; and PREFACE. vii the vocabulary of plants and their sentiments has been augmented nearly one-half. This edition is also rendered more valu¬ able and attractive by the introduction of eight coloured groups of flowers, by Mr. James Andrews, F.R.H.S., which will challenge comparison with the choicest flower-painting of modern times. In this volume there is placed within the reach of every admirer of Flora an account of about three hundred different flowers with their powers in language, illustrated by quotations from nearly a hundred poets, and in most cases the reason for their being made emblematic of a certain sentiment is stated. To acquire a knowledge of the principles on which the floral language is conducted, it is recommended that the Introduction be first carefully perused, and the ingenious will then be enabled to Gather a wreath in their garden bowers. And tell the wish of their heart in (lowers. Vlll PREFACE. It only remains to be added, that though this work is founded on the “ Langage des Fleurs” of a French author, yet it is indebted to it for little more than its elements; the plan being entirely changed, while an im¬ mense amount of new matter has been added, together with all the poetical quotations. The publishers hope that the superior style in which this work is now got up, the excellence of its Illustrations, and the very moderate price, will render the “ Sentiment or Flowers ” still more worthy of the favour with which it has been received. London, January, 1869. LIST OE POETS WHOSE WORKS ARE QUOTED FROM. Wordsworth Catullus Barbauld Clare Keats Carrington Melendez Mason Jones, Sir W. Howitt Smith Darwin Hemans Thomson Wilson Housman Murray Prior Coleridge, H. Drayton *Hagthorpe Scott, Sir W. *Langhorne Freneuil Chaucer Cowley *Percival Spenser Cowper Hawkesworth Crabbe Southey Cotton Smith, H. Milton Cunningham Jenner Pope Moore Hurd Montgomery, Shalispere X LIST OF POETS. Leyden Williams Gay Snow Byron Gray Warton Goldsmith Elliott Hurdis Cornwall, Barry Herrick Lucan Hunt, Leigh Wiffen * Willis *Pierpont Young Burns Fairfax Landon, Miss Waller Green Evans Peacharu Blair Barton * Bryant Tighe, Mrs. H. Raleigh, Sir W. Howitt, Mary Robinson, Mrs. Churchill *Sigourney * These are American authors. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES, DRAWN AND COLOURED BY JAMES ANDREWS. Plate I. — Frontispiece. Hose.—Ivy.—Myrtle. Beauty, Friendship, and Love. Plate II. — Page 31. Broom. — Borage. — Geranium. Bluntness of manner often accompanies a character worthy of admiration. Plate III. — Page 74. Tulip.— White Bily.—Fuchsia. Purity of taste commands admiration. Plate IV. — Page 117. Trumpet Floiver.—Forget-me-not.—Bramble. When friends separate, they desire mutual remembrance. Plate V. — Page 186. White Jasmine.—China Bose.—Garden Pink.—PurpleViolet. Amiability and modesty secure a lively and enduring affection, and constitute a perpetual loveliness. xii EXPLANATION OE THE PLATES. Plate VI. — Page 208. Thrift.—Tog Hose.—Broom. True sympathy is a characteristic of the simple-hearted. Plate VII. — Page 278. Nightshade. — Heath. ■— Bindweed. Truth is humble and retiring. Plate VIII. — Page 288. Mignonette.—Heliotrope.—Clove Pink. Your qualities surpass your charms; my affection marks the distinction. INTRODUCTION. Ob1 Flowers, so much has been said and sung, that it would seem almost impossible to write anything new. They have been called “ the joy of the shrubs which bear them; ”—“ the stars of the earth ; ” and the u alphabet of the angels ; ” and, indeed, as says Mr. Howitt, “of all the minor creations of God, they seem to be most completely the effusions of His love of beauty, grace, and joy. Beauty and fragrance are poured abroad over the earth in blos¬ soms of endless varieties, radiant evidences of the boundless benevolence of the Deity. They are made so*ely to gladden the heart of man, for a light to his eyes, for a living inspiration of grace to his spirit, for a perpetual admiration. And accordingly they seize on our affections the first moment that we be¬ hold them. With what eagerness do very infants grasp at flowers. As they become older they would live for ever among them. They bound about in B 2 INTRODUCTION. the flowery meadows like young fawns ; they ga¬ ther all they come near ; they collect heaps ; they sit among them and sort them, and sing over them and caress them, till they perish in their grasp. This sweet May morning The children are pulling On every side, In a thousand valleys far and wide, Fresh flowers. Wordsworth. “ We see them coming wearily into the towns and villages w'ith their pinafores full, and with posies half as large as themselves. We trace them in shady lanes, in the grass of far-off fields, by the treasures they have gathered and have left behind, lured on by others still greater. “ As they grow up to maturity, they assume, in their eyes, new characters and beauties. Then they are strewn around them, the poetry of the earth. They become invested, by a multitude of associa¬ tions, with innumerable spells of powTer over the human heart; they are to us memorials of the joys, sorrows, hopes, and triumphs of our forefathers ; they are, to all nations, the emblems of youth in its love¬ liness and purity.” INTRODUCTION. 3 Flowers to the Fair! to you these flowers I bring, And strive to greet you with an earlier spring; Flowers sweet and gay, and delicate like you, Emblems of innocence and beauty too. With flowers the Graces hind their yellow hair, And flowery wreaths consenting lovers wear. Flowers, the sole luxury which Nature knew, In Eden’s pure and guiltless garden grew. MBS. BARBATJLD. Let Fancy lead us, with herfair imaginings, and it shall he in pleasant paths, and through flowery ways; Go, cull the golden fruits of truth ; Go, gather fancy’s brilliant flowers ; and for a brief space let us wander in an earthly Eden. We will rove, hand in hand, with the ever- youthful goddess of flowers ; and Zephyrus, her beloved, shall waft tributary honours from every clime. We will twine fair garlands for many a youthful brow; “we will not let a flower of the spring escape us;” but “crown ourselves with roses ere they be withered.” We may roam with Tasso through Syrian lands, u where soft perfumes diffuse from every flower ;” or the deserts of Arabia, where The acacia waves her yellow hair ; 4 INTRODUCTION.