158 FLORA HISTORICA. 



always been prone towards the marvellous, and 

 not that we 



" Hold each strangle tale devoutly true." 



Although it is so short a time since the Sweet 

 Reseda has been known in Europe, we find that 

 it has crept into the armorial bearings of an illus- 

 trious family of Saxony ; and, as Cupid does 

 not so frequently bestow honours of heraldry as 

 his father Mars, we cannot avoid relating the 

 romantic tale which introduced this fragrant and 

 modest little flower to the Pursuivant-at-Arms. 



The Count of Walsthim was the declared lover 

 and intended spouse of Amelia de Nordbourg, 

 a young lady possessing all the charms necessary 

 for the heroine of a modern novel, excepting 

 that she took delight in creating little jealousies 

 in the breast of her destined husband. As the 

 beautiful Amelia was an only child of a widowed 

 mother, a female cousin, possessing but few per- 

 sonal charms, and still less fortune, had been 

 brought up with her from infancy as a companion, 

 and as a stimulus to her education. The amiable 

 and humble Charlotte was too insignificant to 

 attract much attention in the circles in which her 

 gay cousin shone with so much splendour, which 

 gave her frequent opportunities of dispensing a 



