4o8 pPant Isore, Isegeot)/, arisl Tsijrlc/. 



lovers. The Bolognese use Laurel to obtain an augury of the 

 harvest : they put Laurel-leaves in the fire, and if in burning they 

 crackle, it is a sign that the harvest will be good ; if not, it will be 

 bad. TibuUus chronicles a similar superstition in his time. 



In the days of Pliny, there still existed on Mount Aventine a 

 plantation of Laurels, of which the branches were employed for 

 expiations. On the other hand, there grew on the shores of the 

 Euxine a Laurel bearing a sinister reputation , close to where Amycus, 

 the son of Neptune, was killed and buried. The Argonauts, when 

 passing there, broke off a branch of this Laurel, and they imme- 

 diately began to quarrel among themselves : the quarrel ceased, 

 however, direcftly the branch was thrown away. 



Petrarch made the Laurel the constant theme of his verse, as- 

 sociating it with the name of his beloved mistress, Laura ; and when 

 publicly crowned in the Roman Capitol with a wreath of Laurel, 

 the poet acknowledged himself to have experienced the greatest 

 delight. 



Sir Thomas Browne refers to a custom common in Christian 

 countries of throwing a sprig of Bay upon the coffin when interred. 

 In England, it has long been used, together with Holly, Rosemary, 

 &c., to decorate houses and churches at Christmas. In Greece, 

 on Holy Saturday, they spread Laurel-leaves on the church floor. 

 In Corsica, they deck with Laurel-leaves the doorway of the house 

 where a wedding is being celebrated. 



To dream of a Laurel-bush is a token of vicftory and pleasure. 

 If the dreamer is married it denotes an inheritance through the 

 wife. If a married woman dreams of seeing or smelling Laurel, it 

 is a sign that she shall bear children ; if a maid, it denotes that she 

 will be suddenly married. Astrologers consider the Laurel a 

 tree of the Sun, under the celestial sign Leo. 



The Roumanians have a legend that there was once a nymph, 

 known as the Daughter of the Laurel, who dwelt in the midst of a 

 Laurel-bush. One evening the Laurel had opened its branches 

 that she might, as was her wont, issue forth and dance in the 

 flowery valley. Whilst tripping along she was accosted by a hand- 

 some youth, who extolled her beauty, expressed his passion for her, 

 and finally endeavoured to embrace her ; but the Laurel nymph 

 fled, and pursued by the stranger, disappeared in the flowery 

 groves . . . . " The Star Queen sleeps in her palace of 

 clouds ; sleep also, gentle and lovely girl ; try to calm thy sighs." 

 So sings the handsome stranger, and the Daughter of the Laurel 

 falls to sleep in his arms, murmuring a prayer that her lover may 

 never abandon her. At her waking, alas ! the youth is nowhere 

 to be seen. She shrieks for him wildly, and calls to the night ; to 

 the stars ; to the rivulet running through the wood; but in vain. 

 " Open thy branches, beautiful Laurel-tree ! " then cries the de- 

 serted girl ; " the night is already fljnng, and if I remain longer here 

 I shall dissolve away into dew." " Away, young and beautiful girl," 



