412 WILD FLOWERS OF 



I have several times noticed in Glamorganshire, the 

 most beautiful and elegant effect is produced. A dis- 

 tinction is however to be made between planting the 

 graves with herbs, and strewing them with flowers, 

 the latter only taking place immediately after inter- 

 ment, and being continued at occasional intervals, till 

 the growing plants put forth their blossoms. One of 

 the most charming spectacles of this kind that I ever 

 saw, was in the church-yard of Trevethin, near Ponty- 

 pool, Monmouthshire, in the month of March some 

 years ago, where several children were diligently em- 

 ployed in decorating every grave with the flowers of the 

 wild daffodil. These, covered with dew-drops, and glis- 

 tening in the morning rays of a vernal sun, produced a 

 very brilliant effect. This highly poetical custom has 

 probably been handed down from high antiquity. 

 "When MARTYN, in his Notes to the 5th eclogue of 

 VIRGIL, under the words " Bpargite Tiumum foliis" 

 says, that " it was a custom among the ancients to 

 scatter leaves and flowers upon the ground," he doubt- 

 less alludes to the subject in view, as the ground was 

 to be strewed with leaves in honour of DAPHNIS, and 

 a monument raised to his memory. This original 

 heathen custom was found not inappropriate to Chris- 

 tianity, and is alluded to by several of the fathers, 

 though St. AMBROSE seems to imply a disregard to, 

 or disinclination for, the practice. " I will not " he 

 says in his funeral oration on VALENTHSTIAIS", "sprinkle 

 liis grave witli flowers, but pour on his spirit the odour 

 of Christ; let others scatter baskets of flowers. Christ 

 is our Lily ; with this I will consecrate his relics." 



For a brief space we must now climb the mountain 

 side again. On heathy spots and the declivities of 



