142 BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 



waters deepen. The flowers are produced upon a stem rising about 

 two feet above the water ; they are as large as the palm of the hand, 

 of a tulip-like form, with fifteen pointed petals. "When full blown, 

 the flower is often of a beautiful rose colour, sometimes white or 

 yellow, and always delicately fragrant ; it has forty or more stamens, 

 and one inversely bell-shaped pistil,* with sixteen or seventeen cells, 

 containing seeds half an inch long, with a rind black and smooth, 

 and, when ripe, of a taste finer than almonds. The description of 

 Pliny is correct, with one exception, and that is, he tells us, in his 

 simple manner, that the seeds resemble millet, whereas they are of the 

 size of a bean. " This bread, made from the seeds of this lotos," says 

 Pliny, " is worked with water or milk. There is not any bread in the 

 world (says report) more wholesome and lighter than this, so long as 

 it is hot ; but once cold, it is hard of digestion, and becomes weighty." 



The curious germination of the seeds of the lotos rendered it the 

 emblem of that successive production of created beings, taught in the 

 holy Sastras. f In the sublime theory of the Brahminical code, the 

 universe exists only in idea, or rather nature is but a system of ideas 

 originating in Brahme, the supreme being, but actually or immedi- 

 ately produced by Brahma, the efficient creator, from whom, while 

 he exerts his powers of combining ideas, things proceed into being ; 

 but when he ceases to exert his powers, things created die away, and 

 return back to their primary elements. These periods of existence 

 and non-existence the disciples of the Vedas distingiiish in their 

 biblical manner, by the allegory of day and night, or the waking and 

 sleeping of Brahma. " When that power awakes — for though slum- 

 ber be not predicable of the sole eternal mind, infinitely wise, and in- 

 finitely benevolent, yet it is predicated of Brahma figuratively, as a 

 general property of life — then has the world its full expansion ; but 

 when he slumbers with tranquil spirit, then the whole system fades 

 away." J 



It was this plant which the Egyptians bound around their altars, 

 and which the virgin priestesses wore in wreaths upon their hair. 

 They were gathered with great solemnity by the Egyptian priests, and 



* Polyandria Monagynia of Linnaeus, 

 t Ante, " Floral Symbols," page 99. t Menu, ch. i, v. 52. 



