Chap. 23.] THE AMARANTH. 327 



a variety of shades, such, for instance, as the tints of the helio- 

 tropium, and others of a deeper colour, the hues of the mallow, 

 inclining to a full purple, and the colours of the late '^ violet ; 

 this last being the most vivid, in fact, of all the conchyliated 

 tints. The rival colours being now set side by side, jSTature 

 and luxury may enter the lists, to vie for the mastery. 



I find it stated that, in the most ancient times, yellow was 

 held in the highest esteem, but v.^as reserved exclusively for 

 the nuptial veils''^ of females ; for which reason it is perhaps 

 that we do not find it included among the principal colours, 

 those being used in common by males and females : indeed, it 

 is the circumstance of their being used by both sexes in com- 

 mon that gives them their rank as principal colours. 



CHAP. 23. THE AMAEANTH. 



There is no doubt that all the eiforts of art are surpassed 

 by the amaranth,'* which is, to speak correctly, rather a purple 

 ear'^ than a flower, and, at the same time, quite inodorous. It is 

 a marvellous feature in this plant, that it takes a delight in being 

 gathered ; indeed, the more it is plucked, the better it grows. 

 It comes into flower in the month of August, and lasts through- 

 out the autumn. The finest of all is the amaranth of Alex- 

 andria, which is generally gathered for keeping ; for it is a 

 really marvellous'^' fact, that when all the other flowers have 

 gone out, the amaranth, upon being dipped in water, comes to 

 life again : it is used also for making winter chaplets. The 

 peculiar quality of the amaranth is sufficiently indicated by 

 its name, it having been so called from the circumstance that 

 it never fades. "^ 



■^3 Belonging, probably. Fee thinks, to the Cruciferse of the genera 

 Hosperis and Cheiranthus. 



'^ " Flaranieis " The " flarameum," or flame-coloured veil of the bride, 

 was of a briglit yellow, or rather orange-colour, perhaps. 



''^ The Celosia cristata of Linnaeus. 



'6 " Spica," The moderns have been enabled to equal the velvety ap- 

 pearance of the amaranth in the tints imparted by them to their velvets. 

 The Italians call it the " velvet-flower." 



<■' The real fact is. that the amarantli, being naturally a dry flower, and 

 having little humidity to lose, keeps better than most others. 



''^ I'rom the Greek a, "not," and fiapdiveoOai, " to fade." 



