pfant Tsore, TseqelTb/, da 3. 'ls)qric/. 437 



had selecfled the Rose as her emblem, and her companions had 

 naturally chosen such popular flowers as were best calculated to 

 elicit gallant compliments. Thus most of the floral favourites had 

 been appropriated; so Charlotte placed a modest spray of Mig- 

 nonette in her dress. Noticing as she did so that her coquettish 

 cousin was neglet'ling the Count of Walstheim for the fascinations 

 of a gallant colonel, and anxious to recall the thoughtless heiress 

 to her lover's side, Charlotte asked the Count what motto he had 

 ready for the Rose. Taking out his pencil, he wrote: " Elk ne vit 

 qiC tin jour, et ne plait qiinn moment;'' and then presented her with 

 this motto for her own Mignonette: " S« qualites surpassent ses 

 channes." His wilful fiancee took offence at the Count's dis- 

 crimination, and revenged herself by treating him with studied 

 coldness and negle(ft ; the result being that the Count transferred 

 his affecftions to the dependent Charlotte, whom he soon afterwards 

 married, and to celebrate the event added a spray of Mignonette 

 to the ancient arms of his family. 



MILK THISTLE.— The Thistle Silyhum Mariamm is called 

 the Milk Thistle from a supposition that it derived the colour of its 

 leaves from the Milk of the Virgin Mar}' having fallen on them as 

 she suckled the infant Jesus. 



MILKWORT.— In olden times, the Milkwort {Polygala vul- 

 garis), bore the names of Cross-flower, Rogation-flower, Gang- 

 flower, and Procession-flower, which were given it because, accor- 

 ding to ancient usage, maidens made garlands of the flower, and 

 carried them in procession during Rogation Week. At this period 

 it was customary to offer prayers against plagues, fires, and wild 

 beasts, and as the bounds of the parish were traversed on one of the 

 days, it was also termed Gang Week. This custom was a relic of 

 the ancient Ambarvalia. The bishop, or one of the clergy, peram- 

 bulated the limits of the parish with the Holy Cross and Litanies, 

 and invoked the blessing of God upon the crops ; on which occa* 

 sion. Bishop Kennett tells us, the maidens made garlands and nose- 

 gaj's of the Milkwort, which blossomed in Rogation Week, the 



next but one before the Whitsuntide. Gerarde relates that, ia 



Queen Elizabeth's time, Milkwort-flowers were "vulgarly knowne 

 in Cheapside to the herbe women by the name of Hedge Hyssop." 

 The plant was called Milkwort from an old belief that it increased 



the milk of mothers who took it. A Javanese species, Polygala 



venenata, is greatly dreaded by the natives of Java for its poisonous 

 effects; violent sneezing and faintness seizes anyone touching the 

 leaves of this ill-omened plant. 



MILLET. — According to Schlegel, Millet has, among the 

 Chinese, given its name to the constellation Tien-tzi, " Celestial 

 Millet," which is composed of five stars, and presides at the grain 

 harvest. Its clearness and brilliance presage an abundant harvest^ 

 its absence foretells famine. This constellation the Chinese con- 



