ODOURS AND PERFUMES. 515 
producing fatal effects even upon man. The power of odorous 
blossoms is not only exerted through the nose and lungs, when 
the scent thereof is inhaled, but where the air is heavily charged 
with perfumes, as in a closed room at night, the whole skin is 
capable of absorbing to some extent the vapour, which has a 
decidedly benumbing effect upon the nervous system at large. 
A vase full of Easter lilies (Arum, or “ Gethsemane,” from its 
blood-red spots,) is quite sufficient to cause extreme distress 
to those who are weak, or especially sensitive to such subtle 
mysterious influences. 
“These are God’s Easter lilies, 
They grow at Passion-tide, 
They are the Angels’ trumpets, 
Whose harps are laid aside. 
White-throated Arum lilies, 
Through you the news is borne; 
The blare of Easter bugles, 
The shout of Easter morn!” 
“There is one class of women,” says a recent writer, “ who 
must perforce forego the perfume, and beauty of flowers,— 
eschew them as they would poison,—and these are the singers. 
Any flowers of strong fragrance have an immediate effect upon 
the voice, particularly violets.” ‘‘ A Violet-scented atmosphere,” 
it is observantly suggested, ‘makes those persons who are 
surrounded by its influences, religious, affectionate, and peace- 
loving.” Women of lovable nature are always fond of Violet 
perfume. Again, the fragrance of Roses finds its admirers 
among warm-hearted, imaginative beings; whilst that of 
Heliotrope has its devotees among persons of dainty, neat, and 
rather unassuming dispositions, who dislike fuss, or notoriety. 
Lord Bacon commended the lifting a turf or two in your 
garden-walks, and pouring into each of the spaces a bottle of 
Claret, so as to “recreate the sense of smelling, this being no 
less grateful than beneficial.” 
Boyle said that in his time many physicians avoided giving 
drugs to children, having found that external applications to 
be imbibed by the skin, or by respiration, were sufficient. 
Sir Charles Bell told me that Mr. F., a gentleman well known 
in public life, had only to hold an old book to his nose to produce 
all the effects of a cathartic. Elizabeth Okey was oppressed 
with most painiul sensations when near a person whose iframe 
