ANEMONE, 105 



thought to imply the alternate return of summer 

 and winter. The festivals of Adonis commenced 

 with mournful lamentations and finished with joy 

 and gladness, which would seem to indicate a be- 

 lief of his return to life. 



In all ages there appears to have been the same 

 love of meeting in large assemblies, no matter for 

 ■what cause, whether to deplore the fabled death of 

 Adonis, as the ancients did — or, as in modern times, 

 to eat a dinner for the benefit of the Greek cause 

 against the Turks — or to dance a French quadrille 

 at a London theatre by way of stamping a favour- 

 able impression on Spanish independence. 



The Anemone was held in great estimation by 

 the Romans, who formed it into wreaths for the 

 head ; and there is scarcely any flower better cal- 

 culated to be artificially imitated, for the purpose of 

 ornamenting the temple of Venus ; for as its flowers 

 are of such various colours, the Venuses of every 

 tint, from the blackest child of Africa to the fairest 

 daughter of Britain, may suit their complexions by 

 wreaths of Anemonies. 



At what period our ancestors first called this 

 plant by the Greek name is uncertain. Turner 

 writes on it by that appellation in 1568, and 

 observes that " it maye be called in English Rose 

 pcrsely, because there groweth a floure like a single 



F 5 



