2 12 pfant "bore, "heger^f, ansl "bijric/. 



ever, for its medicinal properties is the Aloe esteemed, for in some 

 countries, particularly Mexico, the poor derive from it almost 

 every necessary of life. The ancient manuscripts of Mexico are 

 chiefly inscribed upon paper made from the fibres of the pite, or 

 pith. Of the points of the leaves of the Aloe are made nails, 

 darts, and awls, and with these last the Indians pierce holes in 

 their ears when they propose to honour the Devil with some 

 peculiar testimonies of their devotion. 



ALYSSUM. — This plant was regarded by the Neapolitans 

 as possessing magic qualities, and was suspended in their houses 

 as a charm against the Evil Eye. Its name Alyssum is derived 

 from the Greek a, not, and liissa, madness. In England, the 

 plant was called Alisson and Madwort, because, as Gerarde says, 

 it is "a present remedie for them that are bitten of a mad dog." 



AMARANTH. — In Spenser's ' Fairy Queen ' is to be found 

 the following allusion to the mythological origin of the Amaranth: — 



*' And all about grew every sort of flower, 

 To which sad lovers were transformed of yore ; 

 Fresh Hyacinthus, Phoebus' paramour, 

 Foolish Narciss, that likes the watery shore : 

 Sad Amaranthus, made a flower but late, 

 Sad Amaranthus, in whose purple gore 

 Me seems I see Aminta's wretched fate, 

 To whom sweet poets' verse haih given endless date." 



The Amaranth was a sacred plant among the Greeks and Romans : 

 from the former it received its name, which means " never-fading," 

 on account of the lasting nature of its blossoms. Hence it is 

 considered the emblem of immortality. The Amaranth was also 

 classed among the funeral flowers. Homer describes the Thessa- 

 lians as wearing crowns of Amaranth at the funeral of Achilles ; and 

 Thessalus decorated the tomb of the same hero with Amaranth- 

 blossoms. Philostratus records the custom of adorning tombs with 

 flowers, and Artemidorus tells us that the Greeks were accustomed 

 to hang wreaths of Amaranth in most of the temples of their 

 divinities: and they regarded the Amaranth as the symbol of 

 friendship. Milton crowns with Amaranth the angelic host 

 assembled before the Deity: — 



" With solemn adorations down they cast 



Their crowns, inwove with Amaranth and gold — 



Immortal Amaranth, a flower which once 



In Paradise, fast by the tree of life, 



Began to bloom, but soon for man's offence 



To heaven removed, where first it grew." 



The same poet, as well as Spenser, classes the Amaranth amongst 



" those flowers that sad embroidery wear." In Sumatra, the 



people of the Batta country lead in times of peace a purely 

 pastoral life, and are accustomed to play on a kind of flute 



crowned with garlands of Amaranth and other flowers. At the 



the Floral Games at Toulouse, a golden Amaranth was awarded 



