THE 



EOSE-xiMATEUR'S GUIDE 



PART I. 



THE SUMMER ROSE GARDEN, 



The Kose, Anacreon, Ode 51. 



Friends! form your accents with mine, in singing the season 

 of flowers, and the rose of spring. 



The rose is the sweet perfume which the mouths of the gods 

 exhale ; the joy of mortals, the loveliest ornament of the Graces 

 in the flowery season of love, and the dearest delight of Venus. 



The rose is the object of the songs of the poets, the favourite 

 plant of the Muses. 



Though she wounds us with her thorns, we gather her with 

 pleasure. What delight to hold this flower consecrated to love, 

 and to breathe its sweet odours ! 



Ah I what sliould we be without the rose? 



Our poets sinj; of the rosy fingers of Aurora, the rosy arms 

 of the Nymphs, tlie cheeks of Venus tinted with roses. 



The rose is useful to the sick; she braves the duration of 

 years; agreeable even in decay, she preserves the perfume of her 

 youth. 



What shall I say of her origin ? When the Sea formed 

 from her froth, and displayed on her waves, the beautiful Venus, 

 l)rilliant with dew, — when Pallas sprang armed from the brain 

 of Jupiter, the earth brought forth this admirable plant, a new 

 masterpiece of nature. Eager to hasten her blooming, the gods 

 watered her with nectar, and then this immortal flower elevated 

 herself majestically on her thorny column. 



The Queen of Flowers.* 



* This pretty appellative is no new creation: more than 

 2.000 years ago Sappho wrote: 'If Jupiter wished to give to 

 the flowers a Queen, the rose would l)e their Queen.' 

 B 



