PREFACE. IX 



matical flowers carefully wrapt up in an em- 

 broidered handkerchief. The freshness of 

 these flowers show the speed of the messen- 

 ger, whilst the selection speaks in silent lan- 

 guage the sentiments of the party from whom 

 they are sent, and whose rank is also distin- 

 guished by the costliness or beauty of the 

 embroidered envelop. These are merely the 

 remains of the ancient customs of the eastern 

 nations, where all was symbol, emblem, and 

 allegory, and it must not be supposed that 

 emblems were invented for the purposes of 

 intrigue, since we find the scriptures full of 

 the most beautiful parables, moral symbols, 

 instructive allegories, and poetical emblems, 

 that have ever been composed or collected. 



It is presumed that the introduction of a 

 few continental garlands in their native garb, 

 will be found both agreeable to the taste of 

 our readers, and in harmony with the subject 

 of the work. With this expectation we 

 present the following French wreaths of floral 

 verse. 



