chamber,
    And genteel geranium,
    With a leaf for all that come;
    And the tulip tricked out finest,
    And the pink of smell divinest;
    And as proud as all of them
    Bound in one, the garden’s gem
    Hearts-ease, like a gallant bold
    In his cloth of purple and gold.

Lady Mary Wortley Montague, who introduced inoculation into England—­a practically useful boon to us,—­had also the honor to be amongst the first to bring from the East to the West an elegant amusement—­the Language of Flowers.[065]

    Then he took up his garland, and did show
    What every flower, as country people hold,
    Did signify; and how all, ordered thus,
    Expressed his grief:  and, to my thoughts, did read
    The prettiest lecture of his country art
    That could be wished.

Beaumont’s and Fletcher’s “Philaster."

* * * * *

    There from richer banks
    Culling out flowers, which in a learned order
    Do become characters, whence they disclose
    Their mutual meanings, garlands then and nosegays
    Being framed into epistles.

Cartwright’s “Love’s Covenant."

* * * * *

    An exquisite invention this,
    Worthy of Love’s most honied kiss,
    This art of writing billet-doux
    In buds and odours and bright hues,
    In saying all one feels and thinks
    In clever daffodils and pinks,
    Uttering (as well as silence may,)
    The sweetest words the sweetest way.

Leigh Hunt.

* * * * *

    Yet, no—­not words, for they
    But half can tell love’s feeling;
    Sweet flowers alone can say
    What passion fears revealing.[066]
    A once bright rose’s withered leaf—­
    A towering lily broken—­
    Oh, these may paint a grief
    No words could e’er have spoken.

Moore.

* * * * *

    By all those token flowers that tell
    What words can ne’er express so well.

Byron.

* * * * *

    A mystic language, perfect in each part. 
    Made up of bright hued thoughts and perfumed speeches.

Adams.

If we are to believe Shakespeare it is not human beings only who use a floral language:—­

    Fairies use flowers for their charactery.

Sir Walter Scott tells us that:—­

    The myrtle bough bids lovers live—­

A sprig of hawthorn has the same meaning as a sprig of myrtle:  it gives hope to the lover—­the sweet heliotrope tells the depth of his passion,—­if he would charge his mistress with levity he presents the larkspur,—­and a leaf of nettle speaks her cruelty.  Poor Ophelia (in Hamlet) gives rosemary for remembrance, and pansies (pensees) for thoughts.  The laurel indicates victory in war or success with the Muses,