INTRODUCTION, 



the imag-es altogether, and to have kept only 

 the contracted marks which serve for words ; 

 yet we are told that they retain an alphabet 

 composed entirely of plants and roots. 



The gods of the early heathen nations ori- 

 ginated from emblematical representations of 

 illustrious personages who had benefited 

 mankind either by their abilities in the 

 arts, by defending their country, obtain- 

 ing conquests, or establishing equitable laws. 

 Thus Mars is represented by his armour, Her- 

 cules by his club and the lion*s skin, Neptune 

 by his trident, Ceres by a handful of corn,^ 

 Bacchus by clusters of grapes, Pomona by 

 apples. Flora by flowers, &c. Even the bar- 

 barous Scandinavians adorned their goddess 

 Frea, with emblems of fertility and abundance 

 as the deity of marriage. 



The language of flowers is said to be as old 

 as the world, and the antiquity of floral em- 

 blems as great as that of love itself, and by 



