no 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Aug. T1. 1855. 



before it is performed." I can inform him the 

 exact period. When the Zoological Society ex- 

 hibit their first Phoenix, the Horticultural Society 

 will produce the first blue rose. 



The writer alluded to refers to the pansy as 

 an instance of blue and yellovf being found in the 

 same flower. This is an exceptional case, a freak 

 of Nature — found in the wild flower, and not 

 produced by cultivation — so well known to all 

 botanists, that I did not think it worth an allusion. 

 Indeed, Nature, as if she wished to show that this 

 was a freak on her part, has introduced the blue 

 and yellow into the same individual pansy; but 

 who ever saw one all yellow, or all blue ? 



The yellow hyacinth, by no means strongly 

 marked, and dull in colour, is not a variety of the 

 blue hyacinth, but a distinct species of its genus ; 

 and it remains to be proved, whether a blue one 

 could be raised from it. The colour of a bulb, 

 however, is not a fair illustration of the question. 

 The colours of all bulbs — the breaking of a self 

 tulip, for instance, into a rose, by blomen, or bi- 

 zarre — are enveloped in a mystery which science 

 has not yet been able to solve. 



With respect to the verbena, I think the Greek 

 pseudonom has, unintentionally, attempted to mis- 

 lead us. I know four species, V. canescens, V. 

 diffusa, V. elegans, and V. multijida, that are 

 naturally blue ; and one of these may be the 

 *' good blue raised some years since." But, that a 

 blue variety of the best known species, V. ma- 

 lindres, can be produced, I do not believe ; simply 

 because it would be contrary to a general rule of 

 nature : that a yellow one could be produced may 

 naturally be expected. We may hope to see a 

 yellow camellia some day ; but who would ever 

 expect to meet with a blue one ? 



" Nil mortalibus arduum est," is a noble motto ; 

 but, as I have already observed. Nature has placed 

 certain boundaries which man cannot surpass. 

 The late Dr. Patrick Neill has well observed, that 

 the whole business of horticulture " consists in 

 the imitation of nature : whose processes may 

 indeed be in some measure originated — as when 

 a seed is inserted in the ground, or modified, as in 

 the artificial training of fruit trees — but which 

 may not be entirely controlled or counteracted." 



It is fair that a contributor to " N. & Q." may 

 either write in his own name or anonymously, as 

 he may think proper. But on a disputed ques- 

 tion — when an assertion is contradicted, or when 

 a person who has, con arnore, studied and written 

 upon a subject for many years is termed a tyro — 

 to insure accuracy, and even courtesy, the real 

 name of the contributor should be imperatively 

 required. I have another word to say : all this 

 waste of space about a blue rose — a thing as un- 

 naturally absurd as a blue horse, or a green man — 

 has been caused by the insertion in " N. & Q." of 

 what appears to me to be an extract from an 



No. 302.] 



American newspaper. Similar extracts from 

 American newspapers have lately been published 

 in " N. & Q.," tending, in my opinion, and that of 

 others, to lower the high character of this perio- 

 dical. As a subscriber and occasional contributor 

 from the first, I humbly venture this remon- 

 strance. No statement should be advanced in 

 *' N. & Q." except upon the best authority. If 

 we imitate Captain Cuttle, let us not forget Mr. 

 Gradgrind's " facts." Neither English nor Ame- 

 rican newspaper paragraphs can be considered 

 good authorities. At a future period, " N. & Q." 

 will be looked upon as the collective wisdom of its 

 era ; and we should not suffer our simpler de- 

 scendants to be misled, nor the wiser ones to 

 laugh at our beards. W. Pinkerton. 



Hammersmith. 



THE ANCIENT MTSTERIES (Vol. xi., p. 511.) .' 

 " SIBTLLE " OB " SVBILLE " (Vol, Xl., pp. 445. 



515.) 



" Is it not generally supposed that the Mysteries were, 

 to the initiated, a sort of schools of religious doctrines ? " 



According to Bishop Warburton, the Mysteries 

 were one of the methods adopted by the ancient 

 legislators to inculcate the doctrine of rewards 

 and punishments in a future state : 



" The popular belief of a Providence, and consequently 

 of a future state of rewards and punishments, were so 

 universal, that there nev.er was any civil policied people 

 where these doctrines were not of national faith. The 

 most ancient Greek poets, as Musaeus, Orpheus, &c., who 

 have given systems of theologj' and religion, according to 

 the popular belief and opinion, always place the doctrine 

 of a future state of rewards and punishments as a funda- 

 mental article. [And these were the founders of the- 

 Mysteries.] One proof of this original may be deduced 

 from what was taught promiscuously to all the initiated ; 

 which was the necessity of a virtuous and holy life to- 

 obtain a happy immortality. ... As our great phi- 

 losopher with "equal truth and eloquence observes, ' The 

 priests made it not their business to teach the people 

 virtue; if they were diligent in their observations and 

 ceremonies, punctual in their feasts and solemnities, and 

 the tricks of religion, the holy tribe assured them that 

 the gods were pleased, and they looked no farther," &c.* 

 " This," says Warburton, " is most remarkable as fully 

 confirming what we have said concerning the origin of 

 the Mysteries, being invented to perpetuate the doctrine 

 of a future state of rewards and punishments, that this 

 doctrine continued to be taught even in the most corrupt 

 celebrations of the mysteries of Cupid and Bacchus." 



Although (in the lesser Mysteries) the supernal 

 and infernal gods passed in review, and the Mys- 

 tagogue sung hymns in their praise?, he after- 

 wards recanted and exposed the absurdity of the 

 prevailing polytheism, taught a (evr select epoptce 

 that Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Mars, &c., were 



• Locke's Reasonableness of Christianity. " He appears 

 not to have been aware of this extraordinarj' institution 

 for the support of virtue." This passage is quoted also 

 by Leland. 



