INTRODUCTORY PREFACE. 



asserted that the Chinese possess an alphabet made up of 

 figures of plants and roots. The rocks of Egypt are marked 

 with representations of vegetables foreign to that country, 

 which tell us of the conquests achieved by its ancient in- 

 habitants. 



The Language of Flowers is indeed as old as the hills ; 

 yet it never can become old, for every Spring reproduces its 

 characters anew. We have a succession, year by year, of 

 those emblems which, sufficiently distinct in the expression 

 of our thoughts and feelings, are still characterised by a 

 degree of ambiguity, which renders them singularly well 

 suited to our use, at that particular period of life when our 

 thoughts and our feelings are more commonly marked by 

 changeableness and uncertainty ; when the word uttered one 

 moment is often regretted the next ; when the polite atten- 

 tion which an admiring and impulsive youth pays to an at- 

 tractive fair one, in the excitement of a pleasure party, is not 

 unfrequently productive to him of regret and self-reproach ; 

 when a tender-hearted girl, having apparently encouraged 

 the attentions of an intelligent but fortuneless youth, is 

 annoyed at the recollection of her weakness. The innocent 

 and pure sensations which induce that mutual regard between 

 the opposite sexes in their youthfulness, are indeed well 

 expressed by flowers. The mischievous little god, who is 

 supposed to amuse himself by inflicting painful wounds 



the youthful heart, is ever represented with wings, as 



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