MIGNONETTE. RESEDA ODOKATA, 223 



The Sweet Reseda or Mignonette is now said to grow naturally in 

 some parts of Barbary, as well as in Egypt. Monsieur Desfontaiues 

 observed it growing in the sands near Mascar in the former country, 

 but it might have been accidentally scattered there, or have escaped 

 from the gardens of the floors. 



This genus of plants, of which we have twelve species, was named 

 Reseda by the ancients, from resedare to assuage, because some of 

 the species were esteemed good for mitigating pains; and we learn 

 from Pliny, that the Reseda was considered to possess even the power 

 of charming away many disorders. He tells us, that it grew near tlie 

 city of Ariminut?!, now Rimini in Italy, and that when it was used to 

 resolve swellings, or to assuage inflammations, it was the custom to 

 repeat the following words, thrice spitting on the ground at each repe- 

 tition : — 



" Reseda, causa these maladies to cease : knowest thou, knowest 

 thou, who hath driven these pullets here ? Let the roots have neither 

 head nor foot." 



We notice tliese absurd superstitions of the ancients, which are 

 scarcely yet extinct in many country villages of this and other countries, 

 to sliow how much the minds of the ignorant have always been prone 

 towards the marvellous, and not that we 



" Hold each strange tale devoutly true." 



Although it is so short a time since the Sweet Reseda has been 

 known in Europe, we find that it has crept into tiie armorial bearino-s 

 of an illustrious family of Saxony ; and, as Cupid does not so frequentTy 

 bestow honours of heraldry as his fatiier Mars, we cannot avoid relating 

 the romantic tale whicii introduced this fragrant and modest little 

 flower to the Pursuivant-at-Arms. 



Tlie Count of Walsthim was the declared lover and intended spouse 

 of Amelia de Nordbourg, a young lady possessing all the charms neces- 

 sary for the heroine of a modern novel, excepting that she took delio-ht 

 in creating little jealousies in the breast of her destined husband. As 

 tlie beautiful Amelia was an only child of a widowed motlier, a female 

 cousin, possessing but few personal charms, and still less fortune, had 

 been brought up with her from infancy as a companion, and as a sti- 

 mulus to her education. The amiable and humble Charlotte was too 

 insignificant to attract much attention in the circles in which her o-ay 

 cousin shone with so much splendour, which gave her frequent oppor- 

 tunities of dispensing a part of that instruction she had received to tlie 

 more humble class of lier own sex. Returning from one of these cha- 

 ritable visits, and entering the gay saloon of her aunt, where her entry 

 or exit was now scarcely noticed, she found the party amused in se- 

 lecting flowers, wliilst the Count and the other beaux were to make 

 verses on the choice of each of the ladies. Charlotte was desired to 

 make her selection of a flower ; the sprightly Amelia liad taken a Rose : 

 others a Carnation, a Lily, or the flowers most likely to call forth com- 

 pliment ; and the delicate idea of Charlotte in selecting the most 

 Jmmble flower, by placing a sprig of Mignonette in her bosom, would 

 probably liave passed unnoticed, had not the flirtation of lier o-ay 



