pPant *Is)orc, Tscgel^/, anti ISLjric/'. ^69 



TULIP. — The origin of the brilliant and dazzling Tulip has 

 been given us by the poet Kapin, who relates that the flower was 

 a modest Dalmatian nymph, metamorphosed into a Tulip to 

 save her from the importunities of Vertumnus. The story is thus 

 told by the Jesuit poet : — 



" Dalmatia claims the nymph, wh(mi heretofore 

 A bright 'limavian daine to Proteus bore ; 

 To her the changing sire his gift conveys, 

 In evei'y dress and every form to please: 

 Disguised Vertumnus, wandering round the world, 

 On the Dalmatian coast by Kate was hurled, 

 Wlicre liy her motlier's stream the virgin played ; 

 The couriing god with all his arts assayed 

 (But unsuccessful still) the haughty maid. 

 Yet, as the changing colours pleased her eyes. 

 He put on every form that might surprise, 

 Dres't in all Nature's sweet varieties: 

 To suit his mind to her wild humour strove, 

 No complaisance forgot, no policy of love; 

 I5ut when he saw his prayers and arts had failed, 

 Hold with desire his passion he revealed, 

 Confessed the secret god, and force applied. 

 'J"o heaven for aid the modest virgin cried: 

 ' Ve rural powers, preserve a nymph from shame I ' 

 And, worthy of her wish, a flower became. 

 Her golden caul that shone with sparkling hair, 

 The lace and ribbons which adorned the fair, 

 To leaves are changed ; her breast a stem is made. 

 Slender and long, with fragrant greens arrayed ; 

 Six gaudy leaves a painted cup compose. 

 On which kmd nature every dye bestows ; 

 For though the nymph transforme<l, the love she bore 

 To colours still delights her as before." 



The Tulip is a favourite flower of the East, and is believed ori- 

 ginally to have come from Persia. The French formerly called the 

 flower Tulipan, which, as well as the English name, is derived from 



Thoulyhan, the word used in Persia for turban. The Tulip is 



considered to be one of the flowers loved by fairies and elves, 



who protedl those that cultivate them. In Turkey, the flower 



is held in the highest estimation, and a Feast of Tulips used 

 to be celebrated annually in the Sultan's seraglio, when the 

 gardens were brilliantly illuminated and decorated with Oriental 

 magnificence, and the fete was attended by the Sultan and his 



harem. The garden Tulip is a native of the Levant : Linnaeus 



says of Cappadocia. It is very common in Syria, and is supposed 

 by some persons to be the " Lily of the field " alluded to by Jesus 



Christ. In Persia, the Tulip is considered as the emblem of con- 



siuning love. When a young man presents one to his mistress, he 

 gives her to understand, by the general colour of the flower, that he 

 is impressed with her beauty, and by the black base of it that his 



heart is burnt to a coal. In India, the Tulip seems to typify 



luihappy love. In the ' Rose of Bakawali,' a Hindustani story, 

 the author, while describing the beautiful fairy of the heaven, 



