144 FLORA HISTORIC.*. 



a mummy with his foot, exclaiming, with exultation, 

 " Now my Tulip is unique !" In another instance, 

 -we are told of one who possessed a yearly rent of 

 60,000 florins, and who reduced himself to beggary 

 in the short space of four months by purchasing 

 flowers. Crabbe says — 



With all his phlegm, it broke a Dutchman's heart, 

 At a vast price, with one loved root to part. 



The Dutch government were at length obliged to 



issue a proclamation to suppress this ruinous excess 



of the votaries of Flora. 



In Paris the prices given for flowers were nearly 

 as extravagant, but the rage soon gave way to 

 other fashionable follies in that gay city, without 

 the interposition of government. It is probable 

 that the unsettled state in which this country was 

 at that time prevented, in a great measure, the 

 infection of the Tulipomania reaching England. 



As the Tulip is but rarely propagated by seed 

 in this country, we shall briefly explain the nature 

 of a breeder : it is a bulb which has attained matu- 

 rity, but is not too aged to have lost its vigour, and 

 which is considered at its zenith in the eighth or 

 ninth year from the seed. When such a Tulip 

 throws up a strong tall stem, headed by large petals, 

 blunt, or rounded at the end ; and if it be self- 

 coloured, or of one uniform equal colour on both 

 sides of the petals ; if the base be either pure white, 



