12 THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 



The great poetic nation, Greece, gave a 

 human interest to these fair children of the 

 earth, and linked a legend of man's love, or 

 woe, or triumph, to every blossom. 



It is also said that the Greeks understood 

 the art of sending intelligence by a bouquet ; 

 and it is evident, from the old Dream-book 

 of Artemidorus, that every flower of which 

 their garlands were composed had a parti- 

 cular signification. But we have no certain 

 knowledge of this ancient flower-language. 



Amongst the chivalrous nations of the 

 north, flowers obtained a grander and bolder 

 significance. Nations assumed for their 

 badges, on many a hardly-contested field, the 

 tender darlings of the spring and summer; 

 and thus they became entwined with the 

 records of the world, and linked with the 

 memory of heroes. 



The lowly Broom, worn on the knightly 

 nelmet of Geoffrey of Anjou, gave name to 

 the race of kings he sent to our island throne, 

 the great Plantagenets. 



The Red and White Roses were assumed 



